Several prominent real estate organizations, including the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR), the Houston Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) and the Greater Houston Homebuilders Association (GHBA), have stated their support for Texas Sen. John Whitmire, a Democrat, in his run for mayor of Houston.

Recent polls from the University of Houston show Whitmire leading the pack with 34% support. Fellow mayoral candidate U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, also a Democrat, trails closely behind with 32%.

“Senator Whitmire has worked with Realtors for many years on infrastructure, flooding preparedness and HOA reform,” HAR Chair Cathy Treviño told Houston Agent, speaking on why the real estate community supports Whitmire’s mayoral campaign. “He will bring this experience, along with his public safety knowledge, to City Hall and help guide Houston into the future.”

GHBA President Mike Dishberger also highlighted Whitmire’s infrastructure plans in The Real Deal. “[Whitmire’s] vision for improvement of infrastructure is among those issues vital to our industry’s ability to continue to provide attainable housing in Houston,” Dishberger said.

In addition to infrastructure, combating crime is at the top of Whitmire’s campaign platform. It’s a statistic that goes hand-in-hand with real estate, as research shows that property values increase by almost 1% per every 10% drop in violent crime.

“[Whitmire] aligns with our membership on many goals,” Bradley Elliot, CEO of Houston BOMA, added. “These concerns extend beyond commercial real estate; they are vital for the well-being of all people in Houston.”

Houston’s mayoral election will be held on Nov. 7. If no candidate wins 50% of the vote — a likely outcome — the election will go to a runoff between the two highest performing candidates.