Peter Hoyt Brown

In January 2008, Brown announced the creation of his mayoral exploratory committee. Since that announcement, Brown has received the public support and endorsement of several organizations and community leaders. On February 26, 2009, Brown officially announced his candidacy for Mayor of Houston, and succeed current term limited Mayor White, before supporters at Hermann Park in Houston. Other candidates include former City Attorney Gene Locke, Roy Morales, and City Controller Annise Parker.

Brown's mayoral campaign reported raising over $477,000 in the first half of 2009, bringing his cash on hand amount at the time to $1.7 million, more than three times what his opponents reported. An independent poll conducted by the Houston Chronicle in late September showed Brown ahead of all of his opponents. A secondary independent poll conducted by 11 News/ KUHF Houston Public Radio poll in late October 2009, still showed Brown with a nine-point lead over his nearest opponent.

Although many independent polls showed Brown holding the lead in the mayor's race, he was eliminated in the November 3, 2009 election. The next week Brown publicly endorsed his former opponent, Annise Parker, in the mayor's race, an endorsement that was heavily sought after by both remaining candidates. Parker went on to win the mayor's race and was sworn in as mayor on January 4, 2010.

He also promoted and worked for more "green" initiatives including recycling, urban gardens and farming, and air quality standards. In January 2008, Mayor Bill White appointed Brown to Chair the newly created Council Committee on Sustainable Growth. The committee considers strategies to promote environmental health, energy efficiency, and conservation of natural resources in the city of Houston. In October 2008, the Sustainable Growth Committee successfully initiated a program to recycle heavy organic yard waste which is expected to salvage 90,000 short tons (82,000 metric tons) annually, enough to fill the Chase Tower, the city's tallest structure. This, plus a new program to recycle scrap tires, will save Houston taxpayers over $1 million annually.

Starting when he took office in 2006, Brown was a neighborhood advocate, working for better street standards, making the city pedestrian-friendly, and instrumental in the creation of the Houston General Plan and the Houston Mobility Plan, and was involved in the creation of the Old Sixth Ward historic district.

Brown first ran for an at-large seat on Houston City Council in 2003 against incumbent Council Woman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs. Brown narrowly lost to Sekula-Gibbs, receiving 48.5% of the vote, and raising more money than any previous city council candidate. In 2005, Brown ran again and won his seat, at-large position 1. In 2007, he was re-elected to his second term.

Brown began his career as an architect and urban planner in 1966, working on major projects in the northeast United States. In 1982 he moved back to Houston, and became a partner in an architecture and planning firm. A year later, he would found his own firm, which he grew into a successful national business. In 2003, Brown was elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, the profession's highest distinction. As an architect, has designed many municipal facilities, including affordable housing and traditional neighborhoods, fire and police stations, parks and recreation centers, jails and courthouses, libraries and health clinics, transit stations, and theaters.

Peter Hoyt Brown (October 16, 1936 – December 12, 2017) was a politician who held office as an at-large council member in the city of Houston, Texas. Known locally as "Peter Brown," he was a candidate for the 2009 Houston mayoral race, to succeed then Mayor Bill White, who vacated the position due to term limits. Although an independent poll conducted by 11 News/ KUHF Houston Public Radio poll in late October 2009 showed Brown holding the lead in the mayor's race with a nine-point lead over his nearest opponent, he was eliminated in the November 3, 2009, election.