HOUSTON — The Houston Land Bank (HLB), in partnership with the Houston Community Land Trust (HCLT) and with support from Fannie Mae and CenterPoint Energy Foundation, has launched the Finding Home Initiative.
This multi-month project will create over 100 affordable and resilient homes in Houston’s underserved neighborhoods, including Acres Homes, Independence Heights, Near Northside, Fifth Ward, Third Ward, Settegast, Magnolia Park, and Sunnyside. On Dec. 13, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., HLB invites the community to an interactive community design workshop.
“With this initiative, we aim to create long-lasting solutions to Houston’s housing crisis. The Finding Home Initiative reflects our deep commitment to revitalizing disinvested communities while ensuring that families have access to homes that are affordable, energy-efficient, and resilient to natural disasters,” said Christa Stoneham, CEO and President of Houston Land Bank.
Joined by Auburn University’s Rural Studio, which Brings expertise in small, innovative, and resilient home designs, HLB is hosting this workshop to gather feedback on design concepts and, through technology, provide the community with a creative way to interact with plans to understand scale. The community will be able to meet directly with the local architect teams, GSMA, UltraBarrio, and Architangent, who will lead the design of these homes. This workshop is one of many to ensure that the community is heard, from concept to construction. Registration is available here.
Over the next year, the Finding Home Initiative will engage the community, design sustainable housing solutions, and establish a housing catalog of at least seven pre-approved home plans tailored to reflect the character and needs of these neighborhoods.
“The homes will be built on small vacant lots using resilient building techniques that meet fortified building standards, ensuring they are durable, energy-efficient, and accessible. This innovative effort aims to address Houston’s critical shortage of affordable housing while empowering families to build wealth and achieve long-term stability,” a news release stated.
“This project is not just about building homes—it’s about building community. By integrating resilience, sustainability, and community input into every step of the process, we’re creating housing solutions that will have a lasting impact on families and neighborhoods,” said Lindsey Williams, Director of Community Development at Houston Land Bank.
The Finding Home Initiative collaborates with local and national partners, each bringing specialized expertise to the transformative project:
- Houston Community Land Trust (HCLT): Ensures that at least two home designs serve households earning 60% Area Median Income (AMI) or below, with financial education and affordability oversight.
- Fannie Mae: Provides financing support and guidance for sustainable building practices.
- CenterPoint Energy Foundation: Focuses on initiatives leading to increased access to quality, affordable, and energy-efficient housing.
Ashley Allen, Executive Director of The Houston Community Land Trust said, “The Finding Home Initiative is a great example of collaboration and effectively utilizing affordable housing tools such as a Land Bank and a Community Land Trust for innovative development strategies. Houston is experiencing new housing challenges so we must create and implement new solutions.”
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