February 11, 2008
Dear Fifth Ward Residents: We are proud to bring you the February 2008 monthly update on Houston Hope, through which 45 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, 6 of which have been pre-sold to qualified buyers. Currently, the Land Assemblage Redevelopment Authority (LARA) has purchased 861 properties citywide. Seventy-six of these properties are in the Fifth Ward area. Four families have already purchased and have moved into or will be moving into their new home shortly. FIFTH WARD Historical fact: Finnigan Park, the second public park for blacks in Houston , opened in Fifth Ward. This park was named after Miss Annette Finnigan, who donated eighteen acres of land in 1940 to the city of Houston for use as a park. At that time, due to segregation, the only other green space open to blacks was Emancipation Park . If you're interested in the Fifth Ward Area, please contact: Tejano CDC: 713.640.9990 or tejanocenter@sbcglobal.com. Pedraza Construction: 281-850-9971 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.
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