During the past year, the officers, members and friends of the Houston Area Bicyclist Alliance (HABA) have spent time and energy looking back at HABA's accomplishments, its strengths and weaknesses and trying to chart out a course for the future. During this process, which included several open meetings and lots of discussion the following themes emerged:

• To be effective in securing the support bicycling deserves, Houston bicyclists
  need to work together


• Bicycle advocacy can not be left to the advocates - everybody needs to know
  what's going on in order to make a difference


• HABA has been effective up to now, for example in lobbying for Bikeways,
  but needs to reinvent itself to move into the future.

Together we decided to "reinvent the wheel", and rather than trying
to change HABA piece by piece, we are starting over with a new organization
called BikeHouston. This reinvention process is ongoing. We are incorporated
ourselves, opened a bank account, and we're working towards gaining official
IRS non-profit status. An interim board of directors is working on formalizing
our mission, goals, and bylaws for operation.

BikeHouston is here to serve the needs of cyclists in this region.
Your input and support is needed now more than ever.