COH discusses "Food Deserts"

[IronTiger]

from Costello's enewsletter

Pyburns Bringing Fresh Food & New Jobs to Food Desert

Made possible through Public-Private Partnership

Last week, one Houston food desert was eliminated.  The opening of Pyburns Farm Fresh Foods in South Union marks the exciting culmination of efforts by the city of Houston, the Houston Housing Finance Corporation, and John Vuong, independent grocery store operator and Pyburns owner.

  

Council Member Costello first met John Vuong and his family several years ago while participating as a member of the Grocery Access Task Force.  Soon after this meeting, Costello was contacted by representatives from Vuong's food distributor, Grocer's Supply.  Knowing of the council member's interest in increasing food access in underserved areas of Houston, the distributor's representatives reached out to let him know Vuong shared the same goal.  In fact, Vuong had been operating independent grocery stores in some of Houston's most distressed neighborhoods for years. 

  

Fast forward to today.  Construction is complete, employees have been hired and residents are filling their carts with fresh meats, fruits and vegetables.  In coming months, a pharmacy will be added.

How did all of this happen? In order to make the economics work for a new store, Vuong needed a financial  incentive from the city. At the time, the city had no program in place to assist grocers willing to invest in food deserts. Seeing this void, Costello worked together with city officials and staff from the Houston Housing Finance Corporation to create and establish such a program.  Grocers may now apply for a portion of the city's federal economic development grant dollars to assist with start-up costs associated with constructing or remodeling grocery stores in high-need areas. Vuong received a $1.7 million performance-based loan through this program. Strict performance measures related to job creation, shopping experience and availability of healthy food are in place in the city's agreement with Vuong.

Since I still hold the theory that "food deserts" are largely a manufactured crisis, I look forward to seeing how the addition of this new store actually tests that theory.

The first one is if obesity levels will drop. "Real" grocery stores carry more healthful options, but they also carry the quick-n-easy frozen stuff that convenience stores sell (at a lower cost, too, generally).

The second one is what the shrinkage level will be. Shrink isn't just through shoplifting, it is also what they won't sell. Stores can combat the latter through downscaling their merchandise mix, but margins are thin and if they can't sell enough items, they go out of business (that's bad) or raise prices (essentially becoming bigger convenience stores). Testing this will prove (or disprove) why real supermarkets tend to stay out of areas where "food deserts" are.

I look forward to seeing the results of this experiment.

[IronTiger]

I still believe that food deserts are a "manufactured crisis" but I'm also wondering if it's a way for backdoor gentrification. Let's say there's a poor neighborhood that the city wants to redevelop into a viable area but obviously can't go in with the bulldozers or wait it out among urban yuppies. So, the city (or at least the city council members in cahoots with a developer) promotes it as a "food desert" and offers tax incentives for a real supermarket to come in. They coax in, say, H-E-B, even though this isn't strictly Houston we're talking about. The city greenlights demolition of several homes and old businesses, probably closing a street or public alley as well to fit in. Land values go up around the new supermarket (likely it has other shops and a fuel center), and within a few years, the old houses are being torn down for new townhomes. As demographics change, people move out, and the neighborhood is transformed, developers and their associated city council members enjoy cocktails and have a good laugh over their good-publicity campaigning of "reducing obesity".

This is all dramatized and probably not exactly the case, but I do remember reading about how some neighborhood activists tried to halt a Trader Joe's from coming in to a "food desert" (probably because they foresaw some backdoor gentrification coming in), so maybe it's not all THAT unreal. Thoughts?

[trymahjong]

I think about this a lot more now that one of my kids moved into a 'gentrifying' area in third ward. Have you driven Dowling from I45 south? All those Townhomes and where do they grocery shop? Or go for fast food or CVS? There are not even many gas stations really. That new restaurant close to Anita street? COH immediately tore up the street so no one can approach-- how will that business succeed?

All those people pulled toward that new park and community pool at Elgin and Dowling but nowhere to "treat the kids" to refreshments? It's not even a question of tearing down old buildings--  most of the old buildings are gone. 

Going further down Dowling and no grocery, no drugstores, no fast food.............but more and more of the original houses torn down and more multi family put in its place. Lots more people but really having to drive further.

what ever it is that hasn't tempted grocery or fast food to the Dowling corridor might not be the "food desert" COH likes to talk about but I wonder  really wonder about all that new construction for town homes but nothing else?

[BeerNut]

As someone that lives near Emancipation Park I usually go shopping at HEB on Alabama or Disco Kroger.   It's really not that bad to make the drive over to either of these grocery stores.  There is a food Co-op on the corner of Elgin and Dowling that I've bought stuff from on occasion. Although I've found it easier to swing by the other grocery stores on my way home.  I don't do fast food so I can't speak on that one but I go to the CVS on Elgin.  As for treating your kids not really sure what kind of establishment qualifies for that.  Cream burger near UH has snow cones and I've been there with my gf and her daughter.

[trymahjong]

Maybe all the proposed 'invigoration of Dowling street' will include places to buy food.........
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/sarnoff/article/Designs-reawaken-Dowling-Street-s-forgotten-past-7465740.php?t=d7c7de44d3

Edited May 15, 2016 by trymahjong

[Blue Dogs]

Has the Turner administration said anything about this nonsense regulation ?

[trymahjong]

From that chron.com article "A couple of weeks ago, the students placed yard signs with renderings on the sites where their developments were proposed. Instead of "Land Available," the signs read "Custom Ideas Available."

 

I've been away from Houston for a few weeks, but would be interested if anyone wanted to post pictures of 'Custom Ideas Avaiable'

[Blue Dogs]

Nothing beats this!

[BeerNut]

where is this?

[Ross]

Singapore? Malaysia?

[trymahjong]

not sure where that picture was taken

[Ross]

Philippines. The word on the sign translates to "always"

[BeerNut]

On 5/17/2016 at 3:24 PM, trymahjong said:

From that chron.com article "A couple of weeks ago, the students placed yard signs with renderings on the sites where their developments were proposed. Instead of "Land Available," the signs read "Custom Ideas Available."

 

I've been away from Houston for a few weeks, but would be interested if anyone wanted to post pictures of 'Custom Ideas Avaiable'

 

Not really sure what you mean by this.  The pictures in this article were posted in the Third Ward around Dowling St.  I saw some from their previous project in but haven't seen these.

[trymahjong]

Thanks for posting

 

I guess from the article, I was hoping that the students had actually gone to vacant lots up and down Dowling and placed posters of their ideas. It would have been a great way to get information to a bigger audience. 

[BeerNut]

I'll walk around when I get back home in 3 weeks and try to take some pictures.   Also found this link that has more pictures:  https://ssl.uh.edu/news-events/stories/2016/April/0428Arch.php

[LTAWACS]

So...food deserts are indeed a contrived fad?

[BeerNut]

One mile radius of Inner Loop grocery stores: Randalls, HEB, Kroger, Central Market, Whole Foods(included Pearl Midtown) Walmart Supercenter, Fiesta, Trader Joes, Phoenicia, Aldi  Google Map

[cspwal]

The new HEB should help, but there's still a couple of places that are deserty

[wilcal]

On 5/13/2019 at 9:50 AM, cspwal said:

The new HEB should help, but there's still a couple of places that are deserty

 

Added it:

 

 

Also, I'm in complete awe at the lack of grocery stores in the Denver Harbor/Kashmere Gardens area. 

 

You know what there are a lot of up there 😕: 

 

Edited May 14, 2019 by wilcal

[cspwal]

The grocery store on cambridge really was covering for a bunch of places that won't have a store within 1 mi, even after the new HEB opens.  There's a bunch of places that for sure need something to plop down right in the middle of those gaps

[BeerNut]

I think the NW corner of Third ward would be a great place for a grocery store as you potentially have pull from Midtown, Downtown, Eado, and Third Ward.  Also this area already consist of large homes and town houses and most would consider the area gentrified.  Maybe even do something similar to Pearl Midtown Market but with a Trader Joe's.

Edited May 16, 2019 by BeerNut

[cspwal]

Emancipation and McGowen might be a good location; its 2 major roads, as well as on a frequent bus line

[BeerNut]

On 5/14/2019 at 3:57 PM, wilcal said:

Also, I'm in complete awe at the lack of grocery stores in the Denver Harbor/Kashmere Gardens area. 

 

yeah it's crazy, I thought I missed one initially.

[Ross]

Foodarama at 1805 Ella fills out the NW quadrant quite nicely.

[wilcal]

On 5/14/2019 at 4:47 PM, BeerNut said:

I think the NW corner of Third ward would be a great place for a grocery store as you potentially have pull from Midtown, Downtown, Eado, and Third Ward.  Also this area already consist of large homes and town houses and most would be consider the area gentrified.  Maybe even do something a similar to Pearl Midtown Market but with a Trader Joe's.

 

On 5/14/2019 at 4:52 PM, cspwal said:

Emancipation and McGowen might be a good location; its 2 major roads, as well as on a frequent bus line

 

EDIT: According to an article I linked to below, grocery stores > 10,000 sq ft are exempted from these rules now. 

 

Large number of churches is an issue. Y'all are probably familiar, but city prevents alcohol sales within 1000' of a school or 300' of a church. City has control of the school number and can set it between 300' and 1000'. I don't think anybody is going to 

 

Here's that quadrant of the third. This is not exhaustive and a result of me doing some quick google map scrolling:

 

 

Also, it's 300' or 1000' from the property line, so instead of circles, these should be squares and they should be larger (these circles are from a midpoint of the address, not the edge of the property).

 

The TLDR: good freakin luck. 

 

The city can reduce the big circles to those of the small ones, but I think the pilot program the city was playing with would reduce them to 500' 

 

Also of note, is that there is a food co-op at the corner of Elgin/Emancipation http://nuwaters.org/, but they only sell produce from 8-12 on Sat/Sun. It's certainly not a Wheatsville Coop like in Austin. 

Edited May 16, 2019 by wilcal

[gmac]

"Food" doesn't necessarily have to include liquor. You can have a grocery store that doesn't sell booze.

[wilcal]

5 minutes ago, gmac said:

"Food" doesn't necessarily have to include liquor. You can have a grocery store that doesn't sell booze.

 

Of course, but that's not practical for grocery stores, unfortunately. 

 

In my research just now to find an article that talked about the grocery stores saying it's a necessity, I came across an article about the reduction of the zones in 2014. It was my recollection that they dropped it to 500' from schools in some zones, but this article seems to think that grocery stores have been completely exempted now: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2014/01/why-houston-changing-its-alcohol-sales-law-help-food-deserts/8065/

 

I don't have insider knowledge, but I bet there's a reason why grocery stores avoided the dry Heights until the law was passed (and HEB backed the passing of the ordinance IIRC)

 

 

[samagon]

On 5/14/2019 at 3:57 PM, wilcal said:

 

Added it:

 

 

Also, I'm in complete awe at the lack of grocery stores in the Denver Harbor/Kashmere Gardens area. 

 

You know what there are a lot of up there 😕: 

 

 

for reference, the purple circle that overlays "Childrens Museum" is the Fiesta that is going away..

 

there's also a Sellers Bros on Canal (near Wayside) that doesn't seem to be represented on this map.

[hbcu]

by design 

 

to lure a store you gotta damn near give them more incentives than the law allows in certain areas. People brag on the HEB coming at 288 but the demographics in the area was enough for HEB to come in knowing they'll still get folks who shopped at the other location to come like the Gulfgate one also. HEB didn't mysteriously have a change of heart as they abandoned minority areas in the suburbs long ago and hid behind the Joe V concept in some. 

 

Fiesta and maybe a private grocer like a Pyburns are the only grocers who'll set up shop in minority areas like a Sunnyside but they have limited selections and not all Fiesta's are equal.

 

If you live east of 288 or South of MacGregor and don't want to go to HEB, your in trouble. Nearest Kroger that has amenities (not Polk) is maybe on West Bellfort and Telephone, Pearland, South Main, Post Oak and Bellfort. nearest Fiesta is on Griggs and 610 and HEB in Gulfgate or Wal Mart on Wayside.

 

If you live in SW Houston lets say off Fondren and Braeswood - and you can't drive far 

 

Foodtown on Fondren

Fiesta on Fondren

Fiesta on Gessner

Joe Vs on West Bellfort

 

Or live in a gentrifying Westbury at Hillcroft and Highway 90 (South Main)

 

No stores south or even north of the Wal Mart Market on Braeswood (which is high and little selection)

No stores between Fondren and South Post Oak (3.1 mile drive between Fiesta on Fondren to Kroger/Foodarama on South Post Oak)

 

If you live in the heart of Missouri City off 2234

Fiesta on Independence (that's it)
Foodarama at Cartwright 2233
Joe Vs on the Beltway 8 and West Fuqua

 

nearest HEB, Kroger, etc is on Highway 6 in Sugar Land, Post Oak or Pearland

 

Or if you live off Airport and Scott or anywhere in Sunnyside/South Park

Fiesta on Cullen

Watkins Foods on Cullen

Farmers Fresh

 

If you live in Hiram Clarke South of Highway 90 (South Main)

Foodarama on West Fuqua
Foodarama on Post Oak in Ridgemont
Pyburns off Almeda
Fiesta on Main and Post Oak
Joe Vs on the Beltway 8 and West Fuqua

 

you are in serious trouble in some areas unfortunately as you better have a car

 

you live off Highway 6 in Sugar land - Missouri City

you have 3 HEBs, multiple Wal Marts, Krogers, etc. within 8 miles of each other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[trymahjong]

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