Affordable Housing Developer Unveils 10 Energy-Efficient Single-Family Homes Near City’s Urban Core
HOUSTON – (April 19, 2018) – Avenue, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to building affordable homes and strengthening communities, announced today that it has expanded its development portfolio with the addition of Avenue Meadows, a new affordable housing community located just minutes from the city’s urban core in the Northline neighborhood.
The community, which is currently under construction, features 10 energy-efficient single-family homes targeted for low to moderate-income, as well as market rate buyers. Designed and constructed by studioMET, an award-winning design-build firm, the two-story, three-bedroom homes feature a modern design and offer just under 1,200 square feet on 5,000-square-foot fenced-in lots. Prices will range from $179,000 to $189,000 – compared to Houston’s median home price of approximately $226,200.
“Although quality affordable housing plays a critical role in our city’s health and wellness, Houstonians continue to face escalating housing costs in and around the city’s urban core that are compromising affordability for low and moderate-income residents,” said Mary Lawler, executive director of Avenue. “We are excited that we have been able to create this affordable community in the vibrant Northline neighborhood, especially at a time when safe, healthy affordable housing is so desperately needed in Houston.”
The Northline community, long known for its rich history and culture, is home to approximately 16,000 people – more than 32 percent of which live below the federal poverty level, compared to Houston’s overall poverty rate of 23 percent. Nearly 25 percent of residents are housing cost-burdened, spending 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs. According to Lawler, much of the existing housing stock in the area is aging and in need of repair and reinvestment to ensure the long-term health and prosperity of the neighborhood’s families.
With this latest development, Avenue focused on creating healthy, affordable homes that meet the needs of Houston’s working families. All homes have an energy-efficient design and function, with ENERGY STAR appliances, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, flexible PEX plumbing, high-performance windows and programmable thermostats for energy conservation. The homes will also feature high-quality exterior finishes, including a two-tone paint scheme, chrome hardware, low-maintenance HardiePlank exterior siding, drought-tolerant plants and a fully fenced backyard.
“As architects we have a social responsibility in shaping the way our cities look. A diversity of housing types is a critical part of that equation and within that is the need for quality affordable housing,” said Stephen Andrews, architect and principal for studioMET. “At StudioMET we have a strong passion about making good design accessible to everyone and working on these types of projects aligns with those core values.”
Situated at the intersection of Meadow Lea Dr. and Madie Dr., Avenue Meadows boasts easy access to a wide variety of community amenities including Clark Park and Community Center, Moody Neighborhood Library and the M.D. Anderson YMCA. The community also offers close proximity to the Northline Transit Center, which links all of the area’s bus routes to the North Corridor light rail line that connects residents to Downtown Houston, Hermann Park and Texas Medical Center.
In recent years, Avenue, a HUD-certified agency, has constructed several affordable housing communities in the greater Northside community. In the neighboring Near Northside community, Avenue has developed Fulton Gardens, a 49-unit senior apartment development that is situated along the METRORail; Avenue Place, a 95-unit single family development; Avenue Station, a 68-unit multifamily complex; and Avenue Terrace, a 192-unit multifamily complex. These developments offer Houstonians affordable housing prices, as well as access to a variety of amenities, including after school programs and community enrichment opportunities.
“Houston’s affordable housing crisis, which has been exacerbated by the devastating impact of Hurricane Harvey, has put homeownership out of reach for many low and moderate-income residents, making investment in quality affordable homes more important than ever,” said Donna Espadas, treasurer of Avenue’s Board of Trustees and a resident of the Northline community. “As an organization, Avenue is proud to lead the way in working to preserve affordability in our communities and in developing healthy, affordable homes that improve the quality of life for our city’s working families.”
In addition to developing new affordable housing and rehabilitating naturally occurring affordable housing in Houston, Avenue also offers comprehensive homebuyer education classes that help first-time homebuyers, as well as current homeowners, navigate the path of homeownership. For more information on these programs and services, visit www.avenuecdc.org/homeownership.
For more information about Avenue’s community development and revitalization efforts visit, https://www.www.avenuecdc.org.
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About Avenue
Avenue’s mission is to build affordable homes and strengthen communities. The organization enhances the quality of life of working families and works to promote healthy, vibrant and economically diverse neighborhoods that are essential to Houston’s future as a world-class city. Avenue develops homes for purchase and rent as well as provides homebuyer education and counseling to help working families buy and maintain their own homes. They promote economic development and offer supportive services such as computer labs, after-school programs, and nutrition, fitness, and financial literacy classes that enrich the lives of the individuals and families they serve. Avenue is a member of the nationwide NeighborWorks® Network of more than 245 community development organizations working in nearly 4,358 urban, suburban and rural communities across America. Connect with Avenue on Facebook: http://bit.ly/FBAvenueCDC and Twitter: https://twitter.com/AvenueCDC.