How one city planner-turned-advocate is reshaping the future of safe, resilient communities. 

In the fast-growing towns of Texas, few people think about the codes that govern what gets built. Tony Topping does. He always has. 

As Executive Director of the Texas Masonry Council and a regional leader in codes and standards, Tony spends his days in a world most people never see — city council chambers, floodplain committees, design standards workshops and statehouse hearings where the long-term safety of millions of Texans is quietly decided. And for Tony, those decisions aren’t academic. They’re deeply personal. 

“I’m a native Houstonian,” he says. “I’ve lived through every flood this city’s had. I’ve watched people rip out drywall again and again. And you start asking yourself — why are we still building this way?” 

It’s a question that launched his career and still drives it today. 

From Urban Planning to a Mission for Resilience 

Tony didn’t start in construction. He began in urban planning, working inside Houston city government, where he saw how cities grow and how policies shape the built environment for generations. He learned quickly that design standards aren’t just “rules,” they’re the invisible backbone of public safety. 

That understanding led him to the Texas Masonry Council, where his planning background became an unexpected asset. 

“I realized masonry checked every box planners care about: durability, safety, long-service life, low maintenance. It gives communities a fighting chance when something goes wrong.” 

What hooked him wasn’t the material — it was the outcomes. Schools that stay standing. Homes that don’t burn. Neighborhoods that don’t have to tear themselves apart every time the floodwaters rise. 

Why Codes Matter More Than Ever 

For Tony, resilience isn’t a buzzword, it’s the reality of living in the Gulf South, where fires, floods and hurricanes are no longer seasonal but constant. 

“Material choice affects everything about public safety. And codes are where those decisions live,” he explains. 

But in Texas, the landscape is complicated. A state law preempts local building standards, preventing cities from adopting many common-sense material requirements. Tony calls it “the biggest barrier to safer communities.” 

His work with Region 4 Codes & Standards — covering Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Arizona — focuses on strengthening local influence in building-code development. The wins are real: 

• Adoption of stricter standards in flood-prone communities 

• Upgrades to multifamily fire-safety design 

• Recognition of masonry’s role in high-wind and seismic zones 

Building inspectors in these regions now play a more influential role in the International Building Code (IBC) process, a shift Tony fought hard for. 

A Floodplain Victory That Changed a Community 

One of the projects Tony is most proud of happened in Humble, Texas, after yet another proposed development in flood-prone areas. 

“The city knew something needed to change and they came to us looking for answers.” 

Working alongside local officials, Tony helped modernize Humble’s development code for houses in floodplains — resulting in new construction in this development where first-floor structures are built with concrete masonry. 

“It was simple,” he said. “If the water comes, the house survives. You clean it, you move on. You don’t lose everything.” 

The result: a community that now rebuilds faster, safer and at lower long-term cost. 

The Hard Part: Changing Policy in the Real World 

If Tony sounds passionate, it’s because he has fought for change where it matters most — close to home. 

In Dayton, Texas, he spent five years helping the community adopt stronger, safer building standards. It was a deeply personal effort. His family roots run through Dayton, and he watched the town struggle every time a storm hit. 

“We got it passed — good, smart standards that would protect people,” he recalls. “And then the state overturned it.” 

But Tony doesn’t describe the loss with frustration. He sees progress. 

“The culture shifted. People understood why it mattered. And when that happens, the fight’s not over. It’s just beginning a new chapter.” 

A Future Built on Strength, Intelligence and People 

Ask Tony what keeps him going, and he won’t mention regulations or political wins. He’ll talk about communities — families rebuilding after floods, seniors in multifamily housing who need firewalls that truly work, young architects trying to design buildings that will stand for generations. 

That’s why Tony fights for smarter codes, better standards and more durable building practices. Not because the industry demands it — but because the future does. 

The Beauty of Block 

For Tony, the beauty of block isn’t aesthetic — though that part is evolving fast. 

“The beauty of block is simple,” he says. “It’s still standing when everything else is gone.” 

And for the architects, engineers and community leaders he works with every day, that’s the kind of beauty that truly matters.