More than 3½ years after Hurricane Ike, HUD announced May 9, 2012 that $151 million in federal disaster relief money is on the way to four areas of Houston to rebuild or repair homes and apartments. Housing officials have chosen to channel the money to Acres Homes, Independence Heights, a northeast Houston crescent centered around the Fifth Ward, and Sunnyside/South Park/South Union in hopes of contributing to neighborhood redevelopment, as well as fixing individual homes.
Mayor Parker said she consulted Texas Organizing Project in planning how to spend the $151 million. In exchange for pledging to channel more of the new money into single-family homes, Parker said, she received TOP’s blessing to focus the spending in just a few neighborhoods instead of on individuals with the greatest need, regardless of address. People who reside outside the four zones still are eligible for the housing assistance, but only if they agree to move to the designated areas.
“Many of our low-income neighborhoods will now benefit from a comprehensive community development plan that is intended to not only repair individual owner-occupied homes damaged after Hurricane Ike but to use other available resources to sustain these neighborhoods for decades to come,” Debra Walker, a resident of Sunnyside said. City officials said they hope to combine the HUD money with property tax money earmarked for redevelopment, proceeds from previously authorized bond sales, management district contributions and other sources to strengthen the financial contributions and impact to the designated neighborhoods.
Parker also used the news conference to signal a new era for local public housing efforts. Parker introduced the city’s new housing boss, Neal Rackleff as “the acting director of the Housing and Community Development Department. Rackleff said the city will build as many 500 single-family homes.
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Source: Houston Chronicle May 10, 2012