Houston Mayor Calls for Suspension of Leases at New Second Ward Apartment Complex Until Contaminated Ash Issues Are Resolved

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The Houston Housing Authority will honor Mayor John Whitmire’s request to temporarily halt rental projects at Pointe at Bayou Bend, a newly built affordable housing complex in Second Ward, his office said.

This follows a letter sent to HHA last week, citing concerns about elevated lead levels and ash contamination on the property following four violations cited by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

According to housing authority documents, the complex would begin leasing its 398 units in the fall and would be fully occupied by December.

Shon Jones moved to the neighborhood about eight years ago and noticed he was starting to have breathing problems after construction began on the complex across the street.

“I developed inflammation inside my face and inside my chest. We think it’s because they carried contaminated soil into our neighborhoods, and it got into our homes,” Jones said. “I’m concerned that this area has a high probability of becoming a cancer hotbed.”

For years, residents living near the 800 Middle Street development have said they have raised concerns with the city of Houston and its elected officials about the toxic ash exposed in the area. The ash comes from a former incinerator where the city burned its waste between the 1920s and 1960s.

Additionally, residents have raised concerns about traffic and infrastructure with the influx of hundreds of households into the area.

RELATED: Contaminated site in Houston’s Second Ward to be transformed into public park

Tony Padua said he considered it irresponsible for the city to allow high-density housing to be built before environmental concerns were fully addressed.

“Why did they try to build housing here before the cleanup was done? It’s going to be a lot harder to clean up this site once you have 400 families living right next door. They had plenty of opportunities to stop this project before so much money was spent,” Padua said.

Ed Jordan agrees, which is why he commended Whitmire for her letter, saying it validates concerns their district raised with the previous administration.

“You can walk along the bayou and see the contaminated ash. It’s exposed. When the wind blows, people are going to breathe it in and in the long run, it’s going to have health effects,” Jordan said. “At a minimum, I want our neighborhood to be clean and safe. This is my home, my investment, my 10-year plan.”

David Northern Sr., president and CEO of the Houston Housing Authority, wrote in a statement to ABC13 that they had already conducted additional testing at the housing development site at the request of the mayor’s office and said the results showed no concerns.

The HHA also conducts an additional environmental assessment of the surrounding undeveloped property before moving in residents.

“We have provided the additional information requested by the TCEQ and, to the best of our knowledge, have addressed the outstanding questions,” Northern Sr. said. “We are actively working with the TCEQ to achieve full compliance and will continue to uphold the highest safety standards for our future residents and community.”

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