$175K Houston Housing Authority fine tied to controversial housing project
State fines Houston Housing Authority
A measure of accountability has now been officially exacted for the gross environmental violations surrounding the notorious low-income housing project known as 800 Middle Street. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan explains.
HOUSTON - A measure of accountability has now been officially exacted for the gross environmental violations surrounding the notorious low-income housing project known as 800 Middle Street.
800 Middle Street: Fine tied to Second Ward housing project
Big picture view:
The 400-unit complex for folks desperate for an affordable dwelling was built on land surrounded by toxic landfills — a fact which became undeniable when construction crews unearthed mounds of contaminated incinerator ash.
The exposure of toxic material drew enforcement from the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ), whose investigators found that the Houston Housing Authority and its contractor "endangered the health and welfare" of area residents and then failed to report the exposure as required by law.
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The opening was delayed due to the property being surrounded by toxic dumps and a former Superfund site.
What they're saying:
Those violations, in combination with a failure to properly document and test the hazardous waste have drawn a $175,000 fine from the State which long-time project critic Alan Atkinson calls almost unprecedented.
"As a developer, I have worked with the TCEQ for 20 years and this is only the second time I've seen the TCEQ issue a fine of this magnitude," said Atkinson.
While TCEQ has cleared the complex at 800 Middle Street for occupancy, Atkinson says the agency has added strict requirements and safeguards which will likely prevent additional apartments from being built on adjacent authority-owned property inundated with toxic ash from the City of Houston's old Velasco trash incineration plant.
"It's going to be very, very difficult if not impossible for them to build anything on the Northern tract now that this massive amount of ash has been discovered on the Northern tract," said Atkinson.
The other side:
New leadership at the re-named "Housing Alliance Houston" appointed by Mayor John Whitmire had nothing to do with creating the boondoggle.
"Housing Alliance HTX worked extensively and cooperatively with TCEQ over the past year and took accountability for the issues we inherited from the prior administration. We are also grateful to TCEQ for allowing a portion of the penalty to be directed toward a local Supplemental Environmental Project that will deliver health benefits for Houstonians," said Alliance President Jamie Bryant.
In January, Bryant said the Alliance "has no current plan to develop the North tract" with apartment units constructed atop land for which taxpayers paid a total of $54 million.