Houston low-income housing near toxic dumps cleared for occupation

Controversial Houston housing project to be occupied

The Houston Housing Authoritiy has published a plan for a low-income housing project near toxic landfills in Second Ward. FOX 26's Greg Groogan gives the update.

HOUSTON - A controversial $140 million low-income housing project constructed just yards from multiple toxic dump sites near Houston's Eastside has been given the green light for habitation.

800 Middle Street: Controversial housing project cleared

What we know:

Development of the complex at 800 Middle Street has been described by one investigator as the "single worst episode of public corruption" in recent Houston history without any criminal charges brought by prosecutors.

Despite years of community protest, legal challenges and evidence of fraud, the Houston Housing Authority proceeded with construction of the project on property surrounded by contaminated ash dumps and a former state Superfund site just yards away.

Featured

article

Controversial 800 Middle Street project in Houston to be occupied

The Houston Housing Authority has published the agency's plan to occupy 800 Middle Street - a controversial low-income complex in Second Ward adjacent to toxic landfills and a former State Superfund site.

What they're saying:

 In November 2024, Mayor John Whitmire blasted the toxic boondoggle.

 "It is a tragedy. The tragedy is waste of dollars, loss of affordable housing and even now, the challenge: What do you do with the facility?" said Whitmire.

On Tuesday, the answer was revealed in a press release announcing the Mayor would appear with Houston Housing Authority CEO Jamie Bryant to announce the dormant complex has been deemed safe for habitation.

Comments from councilmembers

The other side:

Despite years of coverage and concern, not a word of the opening was mentioned at Wednesday's meeting of City Council.

Afterward, FOX 26 pushed the issue with multiple members.

 "We need to see what the test results show from the federal environmental investigation into that property," said District H Council Member Mario Castillo, who represents the neighborhood impacted by the opening.

"So, let me ask you if you had an opportunity to live in a site like that, would you choose it?  Of course, you wouldn't and neither would I," said Councilmember Twila Carter. "So why is it that we use federal funding to go ahead and not only allow, but open that up? You could say it's contaminated on this side of the street and not that side of the street, but how do you eliminate the exposure? You don't...and exposure is what causes some of these health concerns we see today."

"I would be concerned as to know who is pushing this process and these people into this particular location that we know, for a fact, that it is contaminated," said Council Member Willy Davis.

Dig deeper:

FOX 26 has revealed multiple seedy details regarding the project, including how the Cockrell family managed to sell the near-worthless land for top-dollar to the Housing Authority in a deal orchestrated by former Mayor Sylvester Turner's Lieutenant Andy Icken and further facilitated by Licia Green Ellis, the wife of Commissioner Rodney Ellis.

 FOX 26 was also first to reveal documentation that project developer NRP broke ground on the project knowing the land had serious contamination issues.

 The Housing Authority says the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality concluded in December that its testing determined the apartment building and the ground immediately beneath it posed no safety risk to future residents.