HOUSTON – Providing safe and affordable housing for those who need it here in Houston was the subject of several votes the Houston Housing Authority Board took up Tuesday evening.
Those items passed unanimously, one of them authorizing the expansion of an affordable housing development in Independence Heights.
At 45th and E Street, the current development is already occupied and across the street, and the vacant lot will be home to Phase 2 of the project that was just voted on.
One of many endeavors throughout the city that HHA officials believe will help close the local housing gap.
The fully affordable complex is on Crosstimbers, near the aforementioned intersection. HHA Board chairman LaRrence Snowden says it will soon neighbor another like it.
“Development has been going on for about a year as we’ve been acquiring some of the land around it,” Snowden said. “And so, we were able to obtain the property across the street to do more of a Phase 2 on it.”
Following a unanimous vote, Snowden says Phase 2 will be a mixed-income development.
“25% of the units will be at, I want to say 30% and 60% AMI,” he said. AMI stands for the area’s median income.
“Helping to grow Houston as it should, it important that we have affordable housing across the full spectrum,” he said.
LaShawna Patterson moved into Cuny Homes about three months ago. She says she can attest.
“I got a hold of the HHA and I mean they worked so fast. I heard from them maybe within six months and then got approved,” she said.
Now she’s hoping to encourage others who may need similar support to explore their options.
“This is help. As long as you use it for all the right reasons, then use it for that. Don’t depend on it forever. I do think that it’s something that’s supposed to help you get back self-sufficient,” she added.
Patterson tells KPRC 2 she is now a real estate agent working to grow her career.
As far as this Independence Heights project is concerned, construction is slated to begin mid-next year and the complex is expected to have around 260 units.
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