Charles Blain

Houston, Texas

Charles is the President of Urban Reform and Urban Reform Institute.  Originally from New Jersey, Charles attended Fairleigh Dickinson University where he studied Political Science with a concentration on American Political Studies.  He relocated to Texas to join Texans for Greg Abbott for Gov. Abbott’s first run for governor in 2o14. Following that, and seeing an opportunity to make a difference in Houston, Charles joined Empower Texans, launching and managing their first Houston operation. While focusing on Houston and Harris County government, he noticed a void left in urban policy and politics by those right-of-center. To fill that void, he launched Urban Reform in 2019, and in 2020, Urban Reform partnered with the Center for Opportunity Urbanism to create Urban Reform Institute. Through Urban Reform and Urban Reform institute, Charles has focused on free market solutions to urban issues and creating opportunity for all in America’s metropolitan areas. Charles has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Houston Chronicle, the Hill, Wired, and other publications. He is a Fox 26 Houston (KRIV) regular political commentator and weekly panelist on Sunday talk show, What’s Your Point. He is also a regular guest speaking about local issues on I Heart Radio’s Pursuit of Happiness, The Michael Berry Show, and Houston’s Morning News w/ Jimmy Barrett & Shara Fryer. He lives in Houston and enjoys volunteering with Prison Entrepreneurship Program where he serves on the Houston Advisory Board.