January 10, 2008
Dear Fifth Ward Community Residents: We are proud to bring you the January 2008 monthly update on Houston Hope, through which 14 families have now been able to buy quality affordable homes in re-energized areas of the city. Houston Hope is Mayor Bill White's initiative to reinvest in several of Houston 's older neighborhoods through a combination of stabilizing activities such as coordination of public safety programs, rehabbing existing homes, providing quality new affordable homes, and improving infrastructure and drainage. As a participant of the Houston Hope initiative, qualified buyers in the targeted areas may receive up to $30,000 in down payment assistance. GREAT NEWS Pedraza Construction has begun construction of 13 affordable houses, with at least 6 of these sold to qualified buyers. Currently, the Land Assemblage Redevelopment Authority (LARA) has purchased 843 properties citywide, with 76 of these in the Fifth Ward area, where 2 families are already in their new homes or will be moving in shortly. FIFTH WARD Historical fact: Houston 's second housing project for African Americans, the Kelly Court Housing Project, opened after World War II in Fifth Ward. Early community activists included Lonnie Smith and Lilly Portley. Also,Peacock Records, an African American-owned recording company, started in Fifth Ward in the late 1940s, as did C. F. Smith Electric Company, one of the state's early licensed electrical-contracting companies. Fifth Ward Community News: Emmett J. Scott Elementary School in north Fifth Ward was named a "2007 No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon School." This recognition is awarded to schools that are academically superior or demonstrate remarkable gains in student achievement to high levels. See link below for full article. http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/10/10022007.html If you're interested in the Fifth Ward Area, please contact: Tejano CDC: 713.640.9990 or tejanocenter@sbcglobal.com. If you would like to learn more about Houston Hope, please call 713.522.HOME or visit www.houstonhopehomes.org. If you are a builder and would like to partner with a HUD Certified Community Development Corporation to build in any of the targeted Houston Hope Neighborhood, please go to www.houstontx.gov/lara. To register for CitizensNet go to www.houstontx.gov and click on the CitizensNet logo. To change your email address or update your record, Click Here To prevent your email service provider from marking a CitizensNet message as spam, Disclaimer: All information, excluding your e-mail address, is generally subject to public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act (See Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code). Thank you for your continued interest in the CitizensNet E-Newsletter. |
||||||||||||
