LEELAND COURT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC.

February 20, 2012

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Ms. Nicole Fisher

P. O. Box 13941

Austin, Texas 78711-3911

Downtown Super Neighborhood Council

Mr. James Dinkins, President

2826 Polk Avenue

Houston, Texas 77003

State Senator Rodney Ellis

440 Louisiana, Suite 575

Houston, Texas 77002

State Representative Garnet Coleman

5445 Almeda, Suite 501

Houston, Texas 77004

Council Member James G. Rodriguez

City Hall Annex

900 Bagby, First Floor

Houston, Texas 77002

RE:  Petition Against Low-Income Housing

To Whom It May Concern and The Above  Individuals:

We the undersigned object to the building of any low income housing within a five (5) mile radius of the location of Leeland Court, Houston, Texas 77003. 

Our  subdivision, like many others in the downtown/near-town east end of Houston, Texas,  has a nearby overpopulation of homeless persons, persons residing  in low cost housing and persons residing in drug and/or other types of rehabilitation facilities.  Thousands of persons reside in nearby jails awaiting court dates or imprisonment.   We have all of the traffic and liability of being located within a 2 mile radius of three (3) of the largest jails in Texas and the Harris County Criminal Justice Center.   Additionally, many charities provide free food and/or religious services on an ongoing basis less than a mile west of our neighborhood.  Nowhere in the City of Houston are neighborhoods burdened with all of the accompanying needs for city services to the aforementioned groups than ours.  Even with all the free services, people are still sleeping and living on the sidewalks, they litter in areas near free resources for the homeless, hungry and those struggling with mental illness, addiction and rehabilitation.

Other neighborhoods that do not have a saturation of temporary residents would be much better suited to absorb low-cost housing and provide the necessary services to their new residents as well as to maintain their property values and quality of life. 

Presently, the City of Houston has undertaken major steps to develop our downtown/near-town, and east end neighborhoods.  The soccer stadium is almost completed and the light rail is coming along.  Eado Garden and the St. Emanuel street project are in the planning stages. These new developments should renew the vibrancy of the downtown/near-town areas along with the newly built and proposed quality residences in the area.  For so many years, this part of town has been severely depressed with its empty warehouses and failing structures.  However, we now have an opportunity to be part of the resurgence of our city.  

We certainly can’t turn a blind eye to the need for affordable housing.  However, to locate it in this community would not only be detrimental to the potential occupants, as well as to us, the current residents and to the success of the downtown/near-town revitalization. 

Most sincerely,

The undersigned residents of Leeland Court,

Houston, Harris County, Texas 77003

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