M. W. Lee Papers MSS.0058


Descriptive Summary
	Creator	Lee, M.W.
	Title:	M. W. Lee Papers
	Dates:	1947-1974
	Identification:	MSS.0058
	Quantity:	1.0 Linear feet, 1 box
	Language:	Materials are in English.
	Repository:	Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library

Biographical Note

M. W. Lee became involved in real estate in 1929. Since that time, he has become president of the Texas Mortgage Company, as well as a member of Omega Tau Rho, the National Honor Society of Realtors, and a member of the International Society of Real Estate Appraisers. In addition, he served on the faculty of the University of Houston for seven years as an instructor in real estate.

As a realtor, Mr. Lee has long been interested in land use controls, particularly zoning, and has written several articles on the subject. As one of the leaders in both the 1947 and 1962 campaigns to keep Houston free of zoning, he helped defeat the proposed zoning ordinances in two city-wide elections.

Scope and Contents

The collection deals primarily with two major efforts to bring zoning to Houston (1947 and 1962), concentrating on the years 1960-1962. Also included is proposed state legislation which was designed to protect property values without zoning. Additionally, the collection contains three scrapbooks, material on the 1947 and 1962 controversies and correspondence with people involved in similar efforts in other cities. The collection also contains correspondence and clippings about zoning in other cities, and clippings about urban renewal and the Trinity River Project.


Arrangement
	The collection has been arranged chronologically, following the original order as much as possible.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

None.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the M. W. Lee Papers must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.


Index Terms

		Lee, M. W.
		Land tenure--Law and legislation--Texas--Houston
		Real property--Texas--Houston
		Zoning--Texas--Houston
		Zoning--Texas--Houston--Maps

Detailed Description of the Collection



Zoning in Houston
Box	Folder
1	1	Houston Zoning Maps 1947 Report by the Committee Against Zoning
	2	Preliminary Draft and Recommended Zoning Ordinance 1962
	3	Correspondence, articles, clippings on zoning, 1948-1962, with emphasis on the 1960-1962 campaign
	4	Clippings, Correspondence, Campaign Materials - 1962 Election; Articles and proposed state legislation on land use control and zoning, 1962-1966
	5	Survey on attitude towards zoning taken 1960 among active members of the Houston Board of Realtors
Box	Folder
2	1	Correspondence and clippings regarding zoning in other cities; clippings - urban renewal, Trinity River Project; biographical information on M. W. Lee



Scrapbooks
Box	Scrapbook
2	1	Correspondence, clippings, articles on zoning and urban renewal, 1947-1962
	2	Correspondence, clippings, notes, anti-zoning campaigns in Houston and Perryton, Texas, 1962
	3	Zoning - Houston and elsewhere: correspondence, clippings, other materials, 1962-1974
	4	Notes and Reference Material for use in discussion, speeches, and debates opposing zoning