Near Northside “Blood Promise” Realized
Young families buy first home in the Near Northside

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On July 25, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. leaders from The Metropolitan Organization (TMO) along with Mayor Bill White, Council Member Adrian Garcia, and Council Member Jolanda Jones will welcome three new families to Avenue Villas in the Near Northside at 1216 Frawley Street. Avenue CDC has completed the first 10 homes in this project which will serve as a model for affordable housing in the city.

On October 15, 2006, Mayor White and Council Member Garcia made a public commitment to TMO to bring affordable new homes to the Near Northside. White and Garcia committed city housing dollars to purchase land and begin development in the area that would provide up to three bedroom homes to local residents. This commitment was outlined in the Houston Chronicle “For Near Northside a “blood” promise,” where TMO leaders stood and cheered as Mayor White and Council Member Garcia joked about signing in blood while using a red marker. This area was ripe for development but TMO Leaders wanted to temper gentrification in the area and keep the Near Northside affordable for first time homebuyers and families.

“My family has lived in the area for many years, we never imagined owning our own home”, says Liliana Mendoza one of the first homeowners in Avenue Villas. “My family had been renting a one bedroom apartment for six people with rent of $500 per month, but now I pay less than $600 for my own three bedroom home, and we can walk to church”. Liliana Mendoza is one of the first three families to purchase a home in Avenue Villas. Mary Lawler, Executive Director with Avenue CDC says “Homeownership provides families with a stable place to live, and it also enables them to accumulate equity for the future”. As part of an outreach program with TMO congregations, Avenue CDC conducts home buyer seminars that teach people that it is possible to own a home, how to save for the down payment, how to repair credit issues and maintain their homes after they move in.

“Liliana’s story is the kind we believe we will hear over and over as our efforts gain momentum to build affordable homes in Houston’s venerable neighborhoods,” said Mayor White. “We thank the commitment and strong leadership of TMO for making the American dream a reality for families and for helping us to build a better Houston.”

Avenue Villas, which is located on the corner of Cochran and Frawley south of Cavalcade, will have twenty-three homes when completed. The homes are 2 and 3 bedrooms and have up to $30,000 in down payment assistance. Avenue Villas has made single family homes affordable to people making between $25,000 and $35,000 per year while bringing homeowners back into the neighborhoods.

The Metropolitan Organization (TMO) is an organization of congregations, schools and other institutions dedicated to developing power and leadership among citizens to transform democracy in the Metropolitan Houston Area. TMO is a member of the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), a network of community-based organizations in 12 Texas cities that work together on statewide issues.