In 1908, the first deeds were recorded and by 1915 it was home to some 600 people seeking a better life. South-facing chalet in the municipality of Villard sur Doron. We want to be a place where everyone can feel at home. The freeway leads from the suburbs into Houstons downtown. Independence Heights Redevelopment Council. "I hoped for, you know, at least acknowledging African Americans and acknowledging our historical and cultural assets in the community," Debose said. for (var i = 0; i < elements.length; i++) { She said her community. and who do the programs serve? Do you have comments on the Draft Independence Heights Neighborhood Resilience Plan? The nonprofit Transportation for America found that congestion in those same cities actually grew by 144 percent over that time period, due in part to what experts call induced demand; more highway lanes entice more people to use them. In fact, these dividing lines helped to also proliferate decades of discriminatory policies and restrictive covenants rooted in racism, which still exist today. Try a low commitment monthly plan today. Learn More Newcomers find comfort in fairly priced property and diverse housing options that all can call home. Some content on this page may not display correctly. The congresswomans letters, and others from Houston activist groups, were forwarded to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). EEDC is one of our Third Ward neighborhood partners. barriers between Black and white communities. Houston, TX 77005-1892, Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Campus Carry, The National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships. Independence Heights is another community that has lost many contributing structures. .article--story h2.article__title:not(.summary) {display: none;} Houston activists fuel a growing movement to increasingly center environmental justice in infrastructure and protect urban neighborhoods from endlessly expanding road projects. Whats Happening .overlay__content h1 {font-size: 2.75rem; line-height: 1.25;} The omission could impact how the neighborhood, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is compensated for any historical losses. Houston City Council voted on Wednesday to approve a pilot program that will designate six communities as. For additional information or to request special accommodations for the meetings (interpreter or other), contact Ashley Lawson at (832) 394-5438 or Ashley.Lawson@houstontx.gov. So not only did these massive highways split city neighborhoods and create conditions that led to segregated enclaves with diminished opportunity for growth, but the additional pollution also placed residents at heightened risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems. The neighborhood is home to some 14, 000 residents of diverse backgrounds. Today, as executive director of the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council, a group that fosters social and economic neighborhood development, Debose sees another disaster looming in the. Initially, grassroots groups pressed TxDOT to reexamine the human impacts of its proposed I-45 expansion with little success. Tejano Center for Community Concerns is one of our Magnolia Park neighborhood partners. Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? .views-exposed-form{flex-wrap: wrap; margin-top: 1em;} To review the draft, click. These plans will weave together climate adaptation and risk reduction, economic development, infrastructure modernization and social empowerment into one neighborhood strategy. Over the next year, approximately $45 million in federal entitlement grants will be available to improve Houstons neighborhoods and the quality of life for low- and moderate-income families. The Independence Heights Redevelopment Council is our Independence Heights neighborhood partner. Northline. Three neighborhoods were chosen to participate in this process: East Houston, Edgebrook, and Independence Heights. @media (max-width: 64em){ var elements = document.getElementsByClassName('ckeditor-accordion-toggler'); You are able to kind of heal some of those divisions in a community. We are building on our strengths, our historic churches, excellent schools, community resources, and our people. Please check your inbox in order to proceed. Youll receive your first NRDC action alert and update email soon! Save on AeroGarden indoor herb growing kits at Amazon, Create a bonsai tree out of bricks with this $40 LEGO set, Dyson's air purifying headphones have finally arrived, Preorder 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' today, There are a ton of great patio furniture sets on sale right now, Beat the heat with this discounted Lasko tower fan from Amazon, Apple deal: The 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop is under $2,000 on Amazon. For specific questions or concerns about fair housing or landlord/tenant relations, please contact Yolanda Guess-Jeffries at (832) 394-6200 ext. .page-body__content ol li, .page-body__content ul li {font-size: 1.125rem;} 5. /* Lists */ This area has totally changed. We are identifying opportunities for old and new residents to work together creatively on ways to reclaim our historic identity and shape our future revitalization efforts, while we work to remain true to our roots and utilize local talent to rebuild our community. Get a 42-inch oscillating fan for 15% off with this deal. The Independence Heights Redevelopment Council (IHRC) is the current community liaison for GO Neighborhoods. The freeway is coming. One of the things she remembers is her grandfather having to sell that land and think about where are they going to move, Dubose said. div.title .menu--list .menu__item {font-size: 1.5rem;} Even people who early on supported building them are now thinking better of it.. figure figcaption {color: #44474F; line-height: 1.5;} .article--story .article__info { display: none; } For many years the community thrived as an independent municipality. In the process, the program displaced more than 475,000 households and one million people from 1957 to 1977. .hero__footer p {line-height: 1.25;} The people we have met are engaged and caring. Click on the link in that email .button__text {font-size: 1.25em;font-weight: 600;} Apr 13, 2023 - Entire condo for $80. /* Titles (Headers) */ Independence Heights is bounded on the south and east by I-610 and I-45, respectively, and while the 2,309-page report mentioned that the community could potentially be impacted by the project, it did not address specific effects. 5th Ward Independence Heights Redevelopment Council cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors. Many urban interstate highways were deliberately built to pass through Black neighborhoods, causing destruction of housing and other local institutions.. 1 talking about this. OST/South Union GO Neighborhoods multi-year comprehensive initiative focuses on neighborhood revitalization by addressing the many aspects of developing a sustainable community a good place to work, live, and raise a family. The community is filled with memoriesof the old days with land marked places and historical designations. "They've already acknowledged there will be an impact," said Amy Dinn, who is representing the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council with Lone Star Legal Aid. And we cannot simply continue to widen our freeways at the expense of Black and brown communities., Thats not a big ask. Typically, the agency does not intervene outside of its normal decision-making schedule, so those watching saw Jackson Lees efforts as putting Secretary Buttigiegs civil rightssensitive comments to the test. Our community was established around 1905 when the Wright Land Company developed the area and sold lots to African Americans. At the helm of our leadership are the ministers of the community. Today, as executive director of the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council, a group that fosters social and economic neighborhood development, Debose sees another disaster looming in the proposed $7.5 billion widening and realignment of Interstate 45. LISC also supports Acres Homes, Alief, Denver Harbor/Port Houston, Greater Third Ward, Gulfton, Kashmere/Trinity/Houston Gardens, Magnolia park and Sunnyside. Other looming threats attributable to the proposed I-45 projects pathway are the destruction of churches, family homes and the depopulation of area schools. (Don't see an email in your inbox? Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Tejano Center for Community Concerns is one of our Magnolia Park neighborhood partners. .grid-mw--1380.three-col-contain .mt-5 {margin-top: 0;} .views-element-container>h2{font-family: CopernicusBold, sans-serif; color: #5F6062; letter-spacing: -0.020em; word-spacing: -0.05em; font-size: 1.8em; padding-bottom: .3em; border-bottom: #c6dae1 solid 2px;} Seems like you are already registered, please provide the password. } .page-body__content figure figcaption a {color: #00205B;} @media (max-width: 64em){ She said her community had over 1,300 structures and less than 100 exist now. Funders + Partners In the wake of the construction, Lady Bird Johnson commissioned a report analyzing the effects of urban renewal. .article .date {color: #44474F;} Apr 29, 2023 - Entire chalet for $233. Technical Assistance, Near Northside Three days later, Harris County, which encompasses Houston, sued TxDOT for failing to consider the impacts of displacement and air pollution on residents. Connected there is interest in learning and small projects are underway. .pager__item--ellipsis{padding-top: 1em;} They want to keep the small town front porch feel of the community intact. 'Is Twitter dying? We share the Building Sustainable Communities approach (GO Neighborhoods), best practices in comprehensive community development, and available LISC resources with these communities. div.article__header h6 span.tags a { line-height: 1.1; } Susan Rogers, Director. .h3, h3 {margin-bottom: 1rem;} To complicate the problem, displaced families have limited options for finding places to move within the city limits, as housing prices and rental rates are significantly higher than what their homes are currently appraised. Through a program of this type, and through investments like this, you are able to re-stitch some of that. ", Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer. With a focus on engaging the community broadly, encouraging and supporting resident leadership, dreaming big, and including all, GO Neighborhoods is bringing Near Northsiders together to create and implement their own organic vision for a thriving neighborhood. . Sankofa Research Institute is one of our Third Ward neighborhood partners. The Northeast Houston Next Door Redevelopment Council is our Kashmere/Houston Gardens neighborhood partner. He bought a house right here on the North Loop, said Dubose, executive director of the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council. The North Corridor light rail gives us greater connectivity, and redevelopment is transforming the neighborhoods immediately surrounding us. Independence Heights Redevelopment Council Hunter Memorial Church Of God In Christ Tanya Debose Oscar Green Iii Green Chapel Ame Church Percy Moultry Burglary Break-in Break-ins Burglaries Vandalism Vandalized Adam Zuvanich Follow Adam Zuvanich Welcome to the discussion. about GuideStar Pro. /* Matrix block widths */ Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Historic Preservation & Cultural Arts for 100 Sentors and 65 Youth by providing community meetings and particupating in community based events, Disaster assistance by providing community outreach, working with elected officials to complete a Needs Assessment, disaster intake, and identifying homes that needed repair due to Hurricane Harvey. $(".menu--header").prepend(''); Independence Heights Redevelopment Council, Incorporated Website Get a D&B Hoovers Free Trial Overview Company Description:? Independence Heights Redevelopment Council Project Row Houses. .three-col-text p a {color: #3455DB; line-height: normal !important; text-decoration-style: dotted; text-decoration-color: #00205B; text-decoration-thickness: .1em; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; text-underline-offset: 1.5px; display: inline;} Here in Houston, historians have estimated that somewhere between 40,000 people were displaced between the 1950 and 1960s, said Luis Guajardo of the Kinder Institute for Urban Studies. That law directs that when destroying a historic resource is unavoidable, the agencies involved must look for ways to address the community's historic loss. Avenue CDC is the Convening Agency for Near Northside and Northline GO Neighborhoods. Independence Heights leadership is vested in a passionate group of people who respect one another and embody the values of our founding pioneers. /* Padding */ This organization has no recorded board members. Change is on the horizon in Independence Heights. The GO Network includes 13 neighborhoods in Houston. To submit comments, please access the public forum here: Housing and Community Development (HCD) staff will also discuss the revised activities and budgets in the Draft Action Plan for Disaster Recovery: 2021 Winter Storm. Known as the first city incorporated by African Americans. } Independence Heights Redevelopment Council. Already, many of these communities are undergoing changes because of gentrification and the devastating effects of flooding in the area. article.align-right {margin: 0 0 20px 30px} A massive remake of Interstate 45 from downtown Houston north to the Sam Houston Tollway that would be among the largest road projects in the region's history also is one of the nation's biggest. 15 min from L. That marks a major step forward, according to Matthew Casale, environment campaigns director for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, which compiles an annual report of highway boondoggles. The community is filled with many bungalow style homes that remind us of the days gone by. Located in District H, the Independence Heights neighborhood was selected due to the severity of flood damage from Hurricane Harvey and previous flooding events, vulnerability to climate and other multiple hazards, watershed location, and the presence of active and supportive civic organizations. Color of Life Community Resource & Activity Center Houston Guided Pathways to Success (Equity in Higher Education Initiative) HYPE Freedom School, Inc. Mufasa's Pride Rites of Passage Prairie View A&M College of Education Urban Enrichment Institute What did we get for all that money?In terms of traffic relief, not much. Independence Heights has been impacted by highway construction before. Education. To ensure success in the communities we work with, LISC wants to understand the level of readiness and capacity for change in the neighborhood. Kids in the community are zoned to Burrus Elementary, Kennedy Elementary and Roosevelt Elementary. Whether youre shopping Way Day 2023 or Walmart, theres an al fresco set for you. The early Independence Heights pioneers sought equal rights and opportunities for themselves and established an independent municipality known as the first city incorporated by African Americans in the State of Texas. Need the ability to download nonprofit data and more advanced search options? As the first African American municipality in the state of Texas, we deserve to be here.. The Independence Heights Redevelopment Council is our Independence Heights neighborhood partner. .created{margin-top: 1em;} South Union CDC is one of our Sunnyside neighborhood partners and a recipient of the GO Innovative Project and Innovation grant. .pv-5 {padding-top: 2%; padding-bottom: 2%;} We have a chance to set that right., A Home Owners Loan Corporation redlining map from the 1930s that labeled "hazardous areasmajority Blackof Nashville in red (left) and the subsequent paths of Interstates 40 and 440 (right). Your subscription will be migrated over. #block-views-block-news-rice-block-1, #block-views-block-news-releases-view-block-1, Northline, LISC and GO Neighborhoods thank our partners and funders for their generous support. form.webform-submission-form {padding-top: 0;} Design Workshop. Independence Heights Redevelopment Council. Please join us for one of our Spring Community Meetings to give input on the Draft 2023 Annual Action Plan. .page-body__content p {font-size: 1.125rem; padding-bottom: 1.5rem;} When Tanya Debose looks out at her Independence Heights neighborhood, she sees history threatening to repeat itself. Buttigiegs approach upends our nations unquestioning devotion to roadbuilding that dates back to the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Before it became a Houston neighborhood, it was a city, one of the oldest if not the very first Texas cities to be founded by African Americans. .overlay__content h1 {font-size: 1.75rem; line-height: 1.25;} /* Helpful Links */ } .hero__image {min-height: 150px;} This watershed moment inspired activists across several other states to push back on similar highway projects and marked an effort to center environmental justice in infrastructure work. Subscribe to CitizensNet or manage your preferences here: Thank you for your interest in the City of Houston! SEHTA serves as the Steering Committee in conjunction with Neighborhood Recovery Community Development Corporation (NRCDC) as the Convening Agency. High School students attend Booker T. Washington High School for Engineering Professions. Even decades later, the communitys powerlessness to stop that destruction haunts her. var $=jQuery; Independence Heights is a community built on a foundation of faith and a historic past. Over the last few years residents, former residents, business owners, church leaders, parents, educators, community leaders, and our partners have come together to imagine and vision a new future for our historic community, Independence Heights. .h1, h1 {line-height: 1.5;} Local grassroots organizations such as the anti-expansion groups LINK Houston, Air Alliance Houston, Stop TxDOT I-45, and others worked for more than a year to halt the Houston expansion over environmental impact concerns and its disproportionate effects on communities of color. By 1929, however, Independence Heights had been annexed into the city of Houston, and plans were laid for a major new highway to run right through its heart. The freeway leads from the suburbs into Houston's downtown. Across boundaries, community leaders are focusing on ways to lessen the impacts of displacement and the losses of cultural and historical assets. This revised plan incorporates an additional $19.7 million in disaster recovery funds that will help Houstonians recover from the 2021 Winter Storm (the Freeze) and enhance resiliency in future events.
