On June 25th, at 10 a.m., a press conference was held at the newly completed Memorial senior living community on 2100 Memorial Dr in Houston. The Houston Housing Authority (HHA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that HUD will provide a $6.25 million grant to HHA. David A. Northern, Sr., CEO of HHA, along with HUD Southwest regional official Candace Valenzuela and committee members Alton Smith, Kenneth Li, Cynthia Aceves-Lewis, as well as representatives from relevant organizations and media attended the event.
The funding, as stated by David Northern, will be used for two new projects: a $5 million grant for the Housing Mobility Services Program (OAHMP) and a $1.2 million grant for related Housing Mobility Services Program (HMRSP). These programs are set to be launched after receiving the funding by the year’s end. Combined with the previous $250,000 safety grant received by HHA, the grants will be able to assist up to 4,000 residents. Northern emphasized that the influx of funds will help alleviate the struggles of affordable housing by enabling low-income families to carry out housing renovations, increase income for the elderly, and improve the chances for families to access high-quality communities.
Candace Valenzuela, representing HUD for Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico, highlighted HHA’s well-established systems to assist seniors and families. This includes creating environments for seniors to live in that promote health and safety, improved school districts for families, and better economic opportunities. Valenzuela stressed the importance of HHA’s partnership with landlords to help tenants navigate leasing processes, learn how to care for rental properties, and ultimately live in better places.
Kenneth Li specifically addressed the Chinese community, noting that HHA is among the top three housing organizations in the U.S. and the largest in Texas, providing over 70,000 housing units. With 17,000 verified applications and 35,000 in the queue, an additional 18,000 units have recently been approved. Li expressed his commitment as the first Chinese commissioner appointed by the Mayor and shared details for Asian-Americans on how to apply for housing assistance through the website www.housingforhouston.com. Information sessions regarding new housing programs will be held in July and August at 2640 Fountain View Dr (HHA building), open to the public.
During the event, tours were conducted at the newly rebuilt Memorial senior living community, formerly a hotel. The severe impact of Hurricane Harvey on 2100 Memorial resulted in irreparable damage. HHA and its partner, Columbia Residential, transformed it into a brand-new, top-notch affordable senior living community. The 200 units feature studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, with around 60 units reserved for existing residents and the remaining open for tenants above 55 years old to register. Amenities include a dining kitchen, club room, business center, theater room, state-of-the-art fitness center, and a terrace with magnificent skyline views. Convenient public transportation is available, with direct access to Buffalo Bayou Park.