Council Member Greg Travis is pleased to report that Mayor Turner does not plan to present the Houston Housing Authority's (HHA) proposed low-income housing tax credit project for 2640 Fountain View to City Council for consideration. HHA requested Council consideration of a Resolution of No Objection, which is required to obtain federal funding provided through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Mayor Turner cited costs and "other concerns" as the basis of his decision.
HHA proposed to build a 233-unit apartment complex on property it owns near its headquarters on Fountain View. Twenty-three of the apartments were to be set aside for low-income tenants and the remaining 210 units would have been reserved for a mix of workforce and market rate housing. The cost to build the apartment complex is estimated at approximately $240,000 per apartment unit, which included payment of a $6 million developer's fee to HHA.
Since first hearing about the project in January 2016, Council Member Travis has actively opposed this project due to its high cost and location. He spoke at HHA board and community meetings, wrote a formal letter of opposition to the HHA board chair, and met with Mayor Turner on a number of occasions to let him know the community's concerns. Council Member Travis also met with U.S. Congressman Culberson, State Representative Jim Murphy, and HISD Trustee Harvin Moore to discuss strategies to stop the project, and spoke to numerous concerned residents.
"I am happy to hear that Mayor Turner will not submit this project to Council for a vote" said Council Member Travis. "There is very little support in the area for a project that will bring even more crowding to an over-crowded public school system, especially a project that will cost $240,000 per apartment unit, far more than Class A apartment complex developers are spending in the area to build upscale projects."
Council Member Travis wishes to thank Mayor Turner for his understanding of the situation and applauds the stance he has taken. He also thanks Congressman John Culberson, State Representative Jim Murphy, HISD Trustee Harvin Moore, John Luman, Deanna Harrington, and a whole lot of others who got involved and made their views known on this issue. Everyone's participation helped.
