Podcast 204: From Company Town to Community Vision with Jessica Huble

When the City Has to Buy the Factory

12 Jan 2026 — 3 min read

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Jessica Huble, Assistant Director of Redevelopment for the City of Sugar Land, Texas, to explore how a landlocked, master-planned suburb is rethinking growth, housing, and economic sustainability. The conversation dives into Sugar Land’s unique history as a company town built around Imperial Sugar, the creation of a dedicated Department of Redevelopment, and why single-family housing alone cannot support a city’s long-term finances.

Jessica explains how community engagement, honest trade-off conversations, flexible planning, and city-led redevelopment of the historic Imperial site are shaping Sugar Land’s next chapter, offering lessons for any community facing limited land, changing markets, and rising expectations.

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10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

If your city is landlocked, every acre decision is a long-term financial decision
Single-family housing alone will not sustain municipal services over time
Create space for redevelopment before crisis forces it
Be honest with residents about trade-offs, not just benefits
Sales tax strategy matters just as much as property tax in many states
Avoid being overly prescriptive in RFQs and redevelopment plans
Lead with outcomes and identity, not tenant wish lists
Community visioning works best when residents are asked real questions
Historic assets should inform the future, not freeze it
Cities that fail to adapt risk losing relevance, not just revenue

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CEO of Sitehunt, the AI platform for economic development, site selection and RFI automation. Host and publisher of the Econ Dev Show. In Houston, Texas.