Houston mayor kicks off renovation of Fifth Ward affordable-housing community

HOUSTON – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner kicked off the $41 million renovation Monday of the Fifth Ward's largest affordable-housing community.

The rehabilitation of Cleme Manor off Coke Street near Lockwood is an effort to reduce crime in the area.

Monday's kickoff at 10 a.m. marked the start of taking the apartments down to the studs. They will then get new drywall, windows, floors and Energy Star appliances.

City leaders hope the changes will decrease crime in the area.

Ever since the National Housing Partnership Foundation purchased Cleme Manor, they have been enhancing security.

The City of Houston says crime has gone down by 27 percent and the mayor says the completion of a $41 million renovation project will make living there even better.

The organization not only put in security cameras and gates, but it also hired courtesy patrol officers.

According to statistics, crime in the area has dropped nearly a third.

Cleme Manor is the largest affordable-housing community in the Fifth Ward.

Monday's ceremony marked the continuations of the total rehabilitation.

KPRC2 took a tour of some the units that got a makeover.

All told, 284 units will have new drywall, windows, doors, floors and Energy Star appliances, to name a few changes.

The city said the overhaul of this complex comes at a crucial time, as Henderson Elementary School was on the verge of closing due to high crime in the area.

The project is set to be finished in about a year.