Houston’s city council announced Thursday that a $15 million loan to help fund a development project that aims to build an affordable housing complex in the Greenspoint area has been approved.

The Summit at Renaissance Park, which is expected to cost $77 million, is set to be built on part of the site that currently houses the Greenspoint Mall. The development project will be placed on the southeast side of the lost, which previously housed a Sears Auto Center.

The money used to fund the loan came from a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In Greenspoint, which flooded significantly on the Tax Day Flood of 2016, city officials hope the project will lead to revitalization among other flash flooding incidents.

“It’s a large need when you think of the site,” said Ray Miller, assistant director of the Multi-Family and Public Facilities for the city of Houston Housing and Community Development Department.

The $15 million loan does not require the developer, TXZNH, LLC, to repay the principal amount, but the terms of the agreement call for the developer to pay 1% annual interest on the loan for 40 years.

Greenspoint Mall, which is mainly vacant, is one of the higher elevated points of the area. Greenspoint is the most densely populated neighborhood in the city, with many of the apartment complexes being built along Greens Bayou.  Flooding is a major concern for residents in the area.  City officials said building a complex on higher ground is necessary.  Miller said the complex will be built according to today’s flood code standards.

“This deal will be subject to all the new Chapter 19 requirements that have been implemented since after Harvey,” Miller said.

While the council approved the $15 million loan, there were concerns that the deal was finalized without proper input from the community.

Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson, who represents District B, said the developer didn’t speak with her about the project until this week.  Before the vote, Jackson stressed the importance of input when proposing projects that would affect the community.

During the council meeting, Mayor Sylvester Turner said those concerns would be addressed going forward.

“These kinds of projects are developed because of a windfall of federal dollars that come to cities after climate disaster like Hurricane Harvey,” said Zoe Middleton, southeast Texas co-director of Texas Housers.

While Middleton could not speak on the specifics of the Greenspoint Project, she said Texas Housers was in the early stages of a study examining where federal flood mitigation dollars are being allocated toward affordable housing and the community’s needs are.

“This money can be used to reshape our city to build it better, to make it more equitable and resilient.  The only way to ethically develop a project like that is through meaningful community engagement,” Middleton said.

The Greenspoint project is expected to take two years to complete, with the goal of construction being done by the end of 2023.

Source: www.click2houston.com

Work is officially underway on a new Houston Health Department facility to better serve the Sunnyside community, a focus of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Houston Complete Communities Initiative.

Mayor Turner joined District D Council Member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, health department director Stephen Williams, and community members on Wednesday to break ground on the new Sunnyside Health and Multi-Service Center at 4410 Reed Rd.

“This project is another example of the outstanding collaboration between my Office of Complete Communities, the Houston Health Department, and the community itself,” said Mayor Turner. “This new center will make a crucial difference and help improve the lives of people in Sunnyside and surrounding communities, among the most under-resourced in our city.”

The 57,165 square foot center will combine community service-oriented multi-service center programs and health center programs into one facility, a first for the health department. A large two-story indoor atrium will connect the health and multi-service areas as well as the front and back porches.

“People visiting the new combined center for a community event or a class typically offered at a multi-service center will now also get a chance to see and learn about health services,” said Williams. “I look forward to seeing the ways this center helps Sunnyside residents live healthier and improve their lives.”

The center will include immunization, dental, family planning, sexual health, tuberculosis, and WIC services, in addition to programs for mental health, new mothers, and seniors.

A large auditorium, conference rooms, and classrooms are included for use by neighborhood and non-profit organizations. The site will also include a fitness room, quarter-mile mile walking trail, exercise equipment, community garden, and benches.

The new $25.8 million centers will replace the current facility, which opened in 1975 with an anticipated building life of 30 years. The current center averages about 4,500 monthly client encounters.

Kirksey Architecture and J.T. Vaughn Construction lead the project with an opening anticipated in October 2022.

Rendering of the new Sunnyside Health and Multi-Service Center.

Source: www.houstontx.gov

Mayor Sylvester Turner is partnering with the Houston Health Department and Judah Brown Project to raise awareness about the risk of childhood drownings, educate parents and caregivers about reducing the risk, and link people to additional resources to help save lives.

Mayor Turner and the non-profit organization recently produced a public service announcement video and the health department developed an educational webpage.

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1-4.

“I can’t imagine the unbearable heartache of losing a child, but the Browns experienced it and have a powerful story to share to prevent others from experiencing the same pain,” said Mayor Turner. “This valuable partnership further extends Judah’s legacy and gives parents and caregivers valuable information and resources.”

The Judah Brown Project partners with agencies that offer survival swim instruction, CPR certification, and other lifesaving education to families of children ages 1-4. Annette Courtney, Judah’s preschool teacher, established the charity following the 3-year-old’s drowning death. Judah’s parents, Christi and Mark Brown, then partnered with Annette.

“Most of the time parents of children who drown are not outright negligent; they simply have a false sense of security regarding their child and water,” Mark said. “For example, parents need to understand that traditional swimming lessons do not provide children under four the skills to save themselves from drowning. That ability comes from survival swim lessons.”

No child is “drown-proof.” However, parents and caregivers can significantly reduce the risk by using the following layers of protection:

• Designate a “water watcher.” This adult is responsible for keeping their eyes on all children in the water and should be free of all distractions — including cell phones and socializing. The “water watcher” should be switched every 15 minutes to avoid attention fatigue.
• Teach children to swim. Survival swimming lessons teach children self-rescue techniques to help prevent water accident deaths. Traditional swimming lessons teach children proper swimming strokes.
• Learn CPR. Become certified in CPR and update your skills annually. It could save the life of your child or another person.
• Have proper barriers. Ensure the fence around your pool is at least five feet tall with a self-closing and self-latching gate. Make sure doors and windows to the pool are always locked and alarmed. Install a pool alarm to alert you when anyone goes into the water.

Information about free and low-cost swimming lessons, organizations that offer swim lesson scholarships, and more water safety resources is available at HoustonHealth.org.

Concerns about the safety of pools in Houston can be reported to Houston Health Department pool inspectors via 311.

Source:  www.houstontx.gov