We have the pleasure of being neighbors with Hope Martin, who is currently running for Fort Bend County Commissioner and is also a local mom of 3. If you have ever met her, you know she is kind, loves her family and her community, and is passionate about making a difference right here in Fort Bend County. On top of running for office, Hope is also a Doctoral of Education candidate specializing in Higher Education Leadership at Walden University and United States Air Force veteran. We sat down with Hope to talk about all things mom life, her career leading her to where she is today, and her inspiration behind running for office.
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the Katy area?
I am originally from Chicago, Illinois and have lived in the Katy area for 7 years.
How many kiddos do you have and how old are they?
I have 3 children. My son is 27 and my daughters are 25 and 17. I have 2 grandchildren who are 3 and 4.
What’s your favorite thing about raising a family in Katy?
When we moved to Katy, our youngest child was 12. Katy is a nice area to raise your children. My daughter participated in sports through the YMCA where I was able to meet other families and build lasting relationships.
Least favorite mom job? (i.e. packing lunches, dishes, bath time, etc.)
Folding Laundry…I turn this into a family affair
Best mom hack that makes life easier?
I love the multiple ways to use dryer sheets….I used them to pick up our dog hairs, freshen our cars and dust off blinds.
What are your favorite local things to do in Katy? (with kiddos or just for mom!)
I really love shopping for home décor at ‘At Home’ and ‘Home Goods’.
We’re big on self-care for moms, as hard as it is to find the time, what’s something you do just or yourself?
I really enjoy listening to audiobooks which allows me to just sit back and relax.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I sleep with socks on regardless of the temperature in the house.
Tell us about running for Fort Bend County Commissioner! When did you decide you wanted to run for office? And what was the inspiration behind that decision?
I decided to run for Fort Bend County Commissioner around April 2019. I began researching 2 things which really bothered me. 1) Why wasn’t FM1463 being expanded? and 2)Why are there no homes being built in the vacant areas around me? When I found out that there had been discussion about expanding FM1463 since 2016 but still no action, it made me really unhappy. Once I found out that our current commissioner was being sued by our developer for the past 5 years, I was in disbelief. In May 2019, the county ended up settling the lawsuit with our developer and it cost us as taxpayers over 3 MILLION dollars. I was infuriated and decided to run for Commissioner.
What do you hope to accomplish as the County Commissioner?
My top priorities are 1)Flood Preparedness 2)Reducing Traffic Congestion and 3)Smart Economic Growth. My plans are to develop a taskforce of people from the Fort Bend Drainage District, Gulf Coast Water Authority, Willowfork Drainage and MUD representatives to review the results of the watershed study and address our current flooding issues. I will work with the Texas Department of Transportation to expand FM1463 from I10 to 1093 (6 miles long) to bring traffic relief to our neighborhood. As the fastest growing precinct in Fort Bend, I would work hard to bring new businesses to our area which will increase job opportunities and stimulate our economy.
What did you do prior to running for County Commissioner? What has your career looked like thus far?
I am a United States Air Force veteran who had the honor to serve our country here and abroad. I am a small business owner in the commercial cleaning industry and have 15 years of healthcare administration experience. I have a Master of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from the Keller Graduate School of Management. I am currently a Doctoral of Education candidate specializing in Higher Education Leadership at Walden University.
Who has most influenced you to be the mom you are today?
My mother and aunt influenced me the most. They were the ones who taught me how to cook, clean, sew and not to sweat the small stuff. It is those values that I have instilled in my children to become self-sufficient young people who can take care of themselves and enjoy life.
When parenting gets hard, what’s something you tell yourself that gets you through?
I tell myself that to remain patient as I may need my children to care for me when I am older J
For more information on Hope Martin: