HOUSTON – 150 families living in a decades old apartment complex in the Yellowstone area, said they’re being forced out because the Houston Housing Authority is refusing to subsidize their rent anymore.
Meanwhile, the agency said the reason is because the complex is unfit to live, but they do have a plan to help the residents being affected.
“I cannot live like this,” said a resident who asked not to be identified.
She was just hours away from being induced into labor but said she’s unable to focus on the joy of bringing more life into the world.
“Right now, I’m trying to figure out what is really going on. I’m in debt right now, I’m about to have six kids,” she said.
She is among the 150 families who live at the Southlawn Palms Apartment complex on Scott Street, no longer receiving rent subsidies from the HHA as of January when it ended its contract with the property.
“Now anyone unable to pay the market rent themselves will be evicted. We don’t want to evict anyone but our hands are tied,” said an employee with Eureka Management which runs the complex.
She said they’ve been allowing subsidized residents to still only pay their portion of rent, but after 4 months they said they can’t any longer.
“I need a place for me and my kids to stay,” the resident said.
As of why the contract was terminated, the HHA sent this statement.
“Southlawn has been a long-time property partnership with the Houston Housing Authority under the Moderate Rehabilitation Program (Mod-Rehab). One of the fundamental requirements of the program is a minimum housing quality standard that supports the safe, decent, and sanitary housing requirements of the units our vulnerable residents inhabit. We have been increasingly notified that the ongoing level of habitability at Southlawn has continually failed the minimum standard set by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and has put our residents at risk. The Houston Housing Authority is committed to the long-term assistance and support of these vulnerable clients, and we are focused on assisting them in finding a housing unit that not only meets the minimum standards of housing quality, as defined by HUD, and that also meets the needs families have for safe, decent and sanitary housing. Housing Choice Voucher clients can choose to stay at Southlawn if their unit passes inspection. But if their unit fails HQS, the HHA will help then to find alternative suitable housing that supports their health and safety. I’m following this protocol, the agency is providing every client with housing security while also giving them the choice to live where they want to.
To minimize the disruption in the clients’ lives, HHA has mobilized staff, including our relocation team, to assist residents in gathering documentation and working through the rental market to find a suitable unit. When we discover that units do not meet the minimum habitability standard we investigate, document, and provide the opportunity to remedy. If that remedy is not made in a timely manner, we take action to protect the health of clients and assist them in finding an alternative suitable unit. HHA is committed to supporting our clients, and we look forward to continuing our mission of providing decent and safe affordable housing to low-income Houstonians.”
Meanwhile, the affected families’ representatives said they worked to correct any deficiencies before the contract ended, and suspect different reasons.
“We believe there’s some sort of foul play here or there’s some sort of developmental thought processes that has been going before now and that’s why they’re not renewing the contract,” said Allie Booker who is working as a pro-bono attorney for the residents.
“It really appears to me that there’s somebody that’s behind a big desk who I’m about to throw the hammer of accountability on,” said Candice Matthews with the New Black Panther Nation.
On Monday morning, the families’ advocates are holding a press conference to call the HHA out and talk about a next plan of action.