MAYOR BILL WHITE ANNOUNCES PLANS TO PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
December 8, 2006 -- Mayor Bill White and Houston Interim Housing Director David Mincberg today unveiled an aggressive plan to provide more affordable housing to Houstonians by rehabilitating apartment housing in targeted areas of the city. The Apartments to Standard Initiative will revitalize units in areas where apartment housing is highly concentrated by using federal housing funds and tax credits.
"Along with our efforts to bring affordable single-family housing to some of Houston's most neglected neighborhoods, this will be one of this administration's major contributions," said Mayor White. "A large number of Houstonians make their homes in apartments, those dwellings must be brought up to standard."
Rehab and renovation will be focused on units that are between ten and thirty years old. Renovations will go beyond painting and superficial repair, with a spending limit of up to $25,000 per unit. The goal is to extend the useful life of these properties while making them safe. The program provides the most cost-effective way to get better units to deserving families and improve neighborhoods.
"This program will help us revitalize our city, build better neighborhoods and most importantly help build better lives for neighbors," said Mincberg.
Several neighborhoods with a high density of apartment dwellers and need for re-development, including Fondren Southwest and the Broadway/Hobby Airport area, have been identified to begin the program.
Apartments to be rehabilitated will be selected on a variety of factors including the geographic location, concentration of apartments in the area, the credibility of the owner, and ability to comply with guidelines for affordability. Officials expect the first apartment units to be brought on line under the program by late 2007.
Funding for the program will come from two primary sources including Federal HOME funds that are designated for use for multi-family dwellings, and from the Houston Housing Financing Corporation. Tear down and reconstruction of some older properties will be supported through tax credit programs.
