Houston City Council OKs 14 affordable projects amid NIMBY pushback

The Houston City Council voted this week in support of affordable housing proposals seeking the city’s share of federal tax credits.

The council selected 16 proposals from the Housing and Community Development Department’s list of 33 potential developments at the Wednesday night meeting. Voting on two additional projects was delayed until next week due to community backlash, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Low Income Housing Tax Credits have been the largest driver of affordable housing for decades by offsetting a portion of private developers’ federal tax liability, which allows them to charge lower rents. The state makes the final determination on which projects receive the highly competitive 9 percent tax credit. However, the city plays a role by passing a resolution of support for projects it endorses, which is a critical component of any application.

Despite the city’s support, many residents have protested the proposed developments for their communities. Increased traffic and strained infrastructure, overcrowding nearby schools, the lack of parks and stores within walking distance and a desire to keep an area a predominantly single-family neighborhood are among the concerns raised. The two delayed proposals found considerable pushback from Spring Branch and Upper Kirby residents.

The Upper Kirby proposal was a 120-unit complex called Felicity Oaks that would be located at 4041 Richmond Avenue. The Spring branch development, the Upland, would be located at 1430 Upland Drive, with 120 units.

The delay was intended to give developers more time to address community concerns, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

However, not all residents were opposed to affordable housing developments. Mary Koch, a member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church, expressed support for more affordable housing projects in the city. The governing body agreed with Koch, with most members continuing to show support for additional affordable housing projects in the Bayou City, amid pushback from community groups.

“Just because people are objecting doesn’t necessarily mean it’s valid,” Mayor Turner said during the Feb. 15 meeting. “Everybody’s entitled to housing.”

Councilmembers argued the new development proposals are to offer better housing options to residents who already live in those areas, from seniors to families seeking new construction and even energy-efficient options.