A 175-unit single-room occupancy (SRO) apartment community serving single adults, including people who were displaced by Hurricane Harvey and others on a limited income, has opened in Houston’s East End.
New Hope Housing at Harrisburg is the eighth apartment community and first mixed-use development by New Hope Housing (NHH), a nonprofit known for assisting many of Houston’s neediest residents.
During its 25-year history, NHH has helped more than 9,500 men and women live in high-quality, affordable housing and have access to life-enhancing support services. Without this type of housing that fosters a safe and nurturing environment, many of the residents would be homeless or living in severely substandard conditions, say organization leaders.
Occupants of the group’s properties include the working poor, the formerly homeless, veterans, the elderly, the chronically ill, people with cognitive and physical impairments, and those overcoming substance abuse.
At New Hope Housing at Harrisburg, 30 of the initial residents were displaced by Hurricane Harvey. Before moving into their new apartments, they were staying at a temporary housing facility that NHH opened last year to house storm victims. That temporary housing, Residences on Emancipation, was open for about seven months, and NHH was able to transition some of those residents into the new development and its other properties.
Designed by GSMA, New Hope Housing at Harrisburg is the fourth LEED-certified development for NHH. Each apartment is a fully furnished efficiency and includes a private bath and small kitchenette with a microwave and a refrigerator. Residents have access to communal spaces, such as a kitchen, a business center, a library, and a theater/dining room.
The development is on the rail line and includes 4,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor and 7,000 square feet of office space on the fourth floor, which will soon house NHH’s corporate headquarters. Camden Builders is the contractor.
“New Hope Housing’s Harrisburg community is an important step toward meeting our commitment to increasing housing opportunities for Houstonians, especially after Hurricane Harvey,” said Houston mayor Sylvester Turner in a statement. “As a mixed-use development, it provides direct access to potential employment and other services. It is the type of development we need to further the vision of Houston as one city, where there is hope, inspiration, and opportunity for all.”
All of New Hope Housing’s properties provide on-site support and recovery services to help residents gain stability and remain healthy in housing. Support services include case management, access to primary and mental health care, legal assistance, health and nutritional counseling, financial education and life-skills training, and in some instances, rental support.
The approximately $27 million development is financed with $10.4 million in low-income housing tax credits awarded by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and invested by BBVA Compass through National Equity Fund.
Other financing partners include the city of Houston, Houston Baseball Partners, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Houston Endowment, The Brown Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, The Hildebrand Foundation, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, CommunityBank of Texas, EOG Resources, The Hamill Foundation, The John P. McGovern Foundation, Vivian L. Smith Foundation, and Episcopal Health Foundation.
