May be golden euonymus.

I looks like Golden euonymus to me too. I don't know about Houston, but in San Antonio landscapers for mediium priced new homes used to plant them a lot because they are inexpensive and colorful. The problem here is that they get scale very easily which requires a lot of spraying or it disfigures them. You might want to go to a locally owned nursery and get recommendations for pretty shrubs that are easy care.

Agree it's probably golden euonymus and that Roselee's comments are spot on for Houston, too. The evergreen euonymous varieties are VERY susceptible to scale in many parts of the state - though not so much a problem for the deciduous varieties such as burning bush (euonymus alatus). We had two varieties of evergreen euonymus in Houston that were perpetually re-infested with scale, though the golden suffered the most damage and eventually had to be replaced with something else.

Golden euonymus is attractive, but you should understand the effort and chemicals that will likely be required at some point before investing money and time. Of the five treatment options given on the linked Ohio State fact sheet, the first is Use Alternatives to Euonymus. :-)

If the yellow coloring is important, take a look at the 'Twist of Lime' and 'Kaleidoscope' abelia cultivars. There are many other options if variegated leaves with cream/white margins are acceptable.

Here is a link that might be useful: Euonymus scale fact sheet

It could be a Jackfrost Ligustrum .

Thanks all. If it is jackfrost ligustrum, are they prone to scale too?

I've never seen it, but Jack Frost looks like a very pretty shrub which left unpruned can grow into a small tree. According to what I find on the internet it is said to be disease resistant and non invasive, also that it needs well draining soil and will not tolerate standing water.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jack Frost ligustrum

If it is jackfrost ligustrum, are they prone to scale too?

No - there are other scales, but the especially tenacious and prevalent one discussed here (unaspis euonymi) is specific to the evergreen euonymous varieties. So better for you if it is privet.

All the variegated privets I recall seeing (including 'Jack Frost') have had cream colored leaf margins. I suspect the yellow variations are uncommon enough to not be the same plant you have been seeing all over Houston. Hard to tell from the photo and I'm no expert, but believe the opposing leaves are all the same orientation on 'Jack Frost' while they

A Jack Frost ligustrum will have little bumps on the stems. Euonymus will have smooth stems.