Avenue Announces Phase II of Avenue Meadows Development in Houston’s Northline Neighborhood
Affordable Housing Developer Adds Six New Energy-Efficient Homes to Community, Set to Complete in 2020
HOUSTON – (December 18, 2019) – Avenue, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to building affordable homes and strengthening communities, announced today that it has commenced construction on the second phase of Avenue Meadows, a growing community of energy-efficient affordable homes located just minutes from the city’s urban core in Northline.
Phase II will add six energy-efficient single-family homes to the growing community, which already features 10 homes targeted for low-to moderate-income buyers, as well as market rate buyers. Phase II will feature a mix of one and two-story homes, all with three bedrooms, offering roughly 1,100 square feet on lots ranging from 2,500 to 4,300 square feet. Prices range from $214,900 to $219,900, compared to Houston’s median home price of approximately $239,900.
“We are excited to get underway with our second phase of quality affordable homes at Avenue Meadows in Northline, a neighborhood with a vibrant history and culture just north of Downtown Houston,” said Mary Lawler, executive director of Avenue. “These additional homes come at a critical time for the community as residents – especially low and middle-income families – continue to be challenged by rising housing costs and a shortage of quality affordable homes with proximity to the city’s urban core. We look forward to the completion of this latest phase at Avenue Meadows and to helping more families realize the dream of homeownership through our wide range of supportive services, including homebuyer education and counseling.”
Of the six homes currently under construction in Phase II, all six are currently available for purchase and three are reserved for households making less than 120 percent of the area median income (AMI). All of the 10 homes in the first phase of Avenue Meadows are purchased and occupied. Avenue is currently evaluating plans for the potential development of Phase III, which could begin development in 2020.
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 cost burdened by housing, spending 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs. When announcing Avenue Meadows Phase I in 2018, Lawler emphasized the importance of adding to the Greater Northside area’s inventory of quality affordable homes because much of the existing housing stock 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 addition at Avenue Meadows, Avenue continues to create healthy, affordable homes that meet the needs of Houston’s working families. All Avenue Meadows 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 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.
“Avenue Meadows continues to grow at a time where affordable housing is becoming increasingly scarce in Houston. According to a recent report from the United Way of Greater Houston, 40 percent of households in Greater Houston are ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and are struggling to make ends meet - including nearly 40 percent of families in Northline,” said Cassandra Silvernail, Avenue’s board president. “As an organization, Avenue is committed to helping bridge the affordability gap in the Northline community so that more families can achieve economic prosperity, which will ultimately help the neighborhood grow and thrive. We are thrilled to share these additional homes with the community in 2020 and look forward to continuing to be a supportive neighbor to Northline residents.”
Situated at the intersection of Meadow Lea Drive and Madie Drive, 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.
Over the past 27 years, Avenue has helped revitalize Houston neighborhoods by leveraging more than $117 million in investments for developments including 200 single-family homes, 750 rental units and 140,000 square feet of commercial space. Currently under construction is Avenue Center, a new mixed-use community resource hub to be constructed across from Moody Park in Near Northside. Last year, Avenue was recognized nationally with the prestigious Jack Kemp Excellence in Affordable and Workforce Housing Award from Urban Land Institute, which recognized the Avenue Place and Avenue Terrace communities in Near Northside.
In addition to creating 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.omard4.sg-host.com/.
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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.