Shoppers and residents are spotting a colourful comeback: Houston officials and Pride Houston 365 are moving to hang Intersex‑Inclusive Pride banners above Westheimer Road in Montrose, replacing the rainbow crosswalks removed last year , a visible, practical effort to reclaim community pride ahead of the rescheduled August parade.

Essential Takeaways

  • City approval secured: Mayor John Whitmire signed off on the banner request, clearing a major municipal hurdle.
  • Utility sign‑off needed: CenterPoint Energy must approve attachments to its poles before installation.
  • Design and route: Banners will run from Taft Street to Montrose Boulevard and will feature the Intersex‑Inclusive Pride flag.
  • Funding unclear but private: The mayor reportedly offered personal support; Pride Houston 365 and private donations expected to cover costs.
  • Symbolic comeback: The banners aim to restore visibility after painted rainbow crosswalks were removed amid state scrutiny.

Why banners instead of painted crosswalks?

The decision to hang banners feels practical and a little defiant , bold stripes fluttering over the street rather than painted on the tarmac. Residents say the sky‑high placement is less likely to trigger the same state safety objections that led to the crosswalks’ removal. According to local reporting, officials view banners as an existing, permissible form of street decoration, and reviving a dormant banner district gives the move legal and historical footing.

How the idea took shape and who pushed it

This revival didn’t happen overnight. Community leaders, including Montrose Super Neighborhood president Jack Valinski and Pride Houston 365 president Kerry Ann Morrison, lobbied city officials after the crosswalks were stripped last autumn. City councillors and Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin joined the push, pointing to a 1995 ordinance that already designates Montrose as an established banner district. The result is a coalition that blends grassroots energy with official clout.

The practical bits: approvals, poles and timing

Getting banners up is about paperwork as much as symbolism. City approval is in hand, but CenterPoint Energy owns the poles and must sign off on fixtures. That means forms, engineering checks and a timeline that could still slip , organisers hope for banners before the parade on 15 August, but admit there’s no guarantee. If you’re planning to attend the event, expect updates on social channels and community newsletters as final approvals arrive.

Who will pay, and why funding matters

Money’s the tricky bit. Earlier council allocations and community fundraising have been discussed, but leaders say the installation will be privately financed to avoid political pushback from state officials. Reports suggest Mayor Whitmire expressed willingness to help fund the effort personally. For residents, that private funding is comforting: it keeps the display community‑led while sidestepping a larger clash over public coffers.

What this means for Montrose and LGBTQIA+ visibility

Banners restore a sense of place more than they replace lost paint. For many Montrose residents the original crosswalks had become a quiet landmark of belonging, and their removal was felt as erasure. The new banner district spreads that message along the length of Westheimer, making pride a skyline gesture rather than a single crossing. It’s a compromise that still feels like a win , practical, visible and rooted in local history.

It’s a small change that can make every walk down Westheimer feel a little more like home.

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