Demolitions around Houston

[C2H]

It seems like ever since the new Mayor took office in January, I've seen more dilapitated buildings get razed than ever before. It really seems like there's an aggressive plan to get rid of all the shacky structures that've been standing and rotting for years. I've especially noticed it around 3rd Ward area. There was a somewhat run-down motel of Scott and Alabama area, now its gone. I've also seen alot of older run-down buildings get razed off 610 near the Astrodome. Also traveling through Midtown today, I remember there being some old shacks arbitrarily spread throughout different parts of Midtown, but I'm seeing less and less of them. There were some old apartment buildings off Broadway St on the way to Hobby airport that were demolished recently too. I remember seeing on the news that the owner of those apartments was in despair because those apartments were his whole future. Why would someone who cares about their property let it sit vacant for so long to get infested with crackheads.

I was talking to my friend the other day about this and he feels that its all politics and about $$$ (Well of course!). He said one thing that kind of hit home and he said its more about moving the blacks out out of their neighborhoods. Being black myself, part of me wants to feel sorry for some of these people living in these areas, but at the same time, I'm tired of Houston being the only city I visit that seems to have more scummy areas than average. I may be sounding a little republican here (which I AM NOT), but if you just let your property go to sh!% and let it become a haven for the crackheads, then it didn't mean much to you anyway. At the same time, the people who care about their property and keep it up (like areas around TSU), i applaud them and they deserve not to be moved out of their neighborhoods.

Has anyone else noticed the demolitions around Houston in the last 6 -7 months? Is it looking like the city is beginning to clean up? Please share some thoughts.

C2H/ComingtoHouston

[TheNiche]

I had noticed that the Mayor's demo list has seemed to disproportionately target black neighborhoods. Haven't seen any notable demo activity in the East End aside from those apartments you mentioned.

I don't think that displacing "crackheads" is very useful as a matter of policy. It doesn't solve the problem; I'm not even clear that it makes it less visible.

[lockmat]

Is there a way for us to compare her numbers with previous mayors?

If the crackheads lose their homes in the demo'd places, won't they just find a place somewhere else to stay?

[AtticaFlinch]

Is there a way for us to compare her numbers with previous mayors?

If the crackheads lose their homes in the demo'd places, won't they just find a place somewhere else to stay?

Tonight, I got a six-pack of Shiner at the little neighborhood grocery store around the corner from my house (on 1960 for reference) and was accosted by not one, but two, homeless folks seeking "just a dollar" to get them a bus ride back to wherever it was they needed to go.

They were both white. I think the scummy displacement is equal opportunity. They're all leaving the inner-city to hang out in my 'burb.

[20thStDad]

Tonight, I got a six-pack of Shiner at the little neighborhood grocery store around the corner from my house (on 1960 for reference) and was accosted by not one, but two, homeless folks seeking "just a dollar" to get them a bus ride back to wherever it was they needed to go.

They were both white. I think the scummy displacement is equal opportunity. They're all leaving the inner-city to hang out in my 'burb.

As long as they don't make it to Katy, those people can't handle it. Add some apartments, and BAM, there goes the 'hood.

Just some clarity for my own ignorance here - the question is being posed in a way that suggests the city is the one ordering these demo's? Is the city (and mayor specifically) usually the one ordering the tearing down of dilapidated structures? I would think they would be able to deem structures unsafe and issue some mandate for a property owner to tear something down - maybe that's how it goes but even then I bet it's a slow process because property owners who own tear-downs probably aren't the most responsive people.

[KinkaidAlum]

I've got to wonder how many of these are actually owner occupied. In the Third Ward, many properties are owned by slum lords and have been for decades.

[ricco67]

It seems like ever since the new Mayor took office in January, I've seen more dilapitated buildings get razed than ever before. It really seems like there's an aggressive plan to get rid of all the shacky structures that've been standing and rotting for years. I've especially noticed it around 3rd Ward area. There was a somewhat run-down motel of Scott and Alabama area, now its gone. I've also seen alot of older run-down buildings get razed off 610 near the Astrodome. Also traveling through Midtown today, I remember there being some old shacks arbitrarily spread throughout different parts of Midtown, but I'm seeing less and less of them. There were some old apartment buildings off Broadway St on the way to Hobby airport that were demolished recently too. I remember seeing on the news that the owner of those apartments was in despair because those apartments were his whole future. Why would someone who cares about their property let it sit vacant for so long to get infested with crackheads.

I was talking to my friend the other day about this and he feels that its all politics and about $$ (Well of course!). He said one thing that kind of hit home and he said its more about moving the blacks out out of their neighborhoods. Being black myself, part of me wants to feel sorry for some of these people living in these areas, but at the same time, I'm tired of Houston being the only city I visit that seems to have more scummy areas than average. I may be sounding a little republican here (which I AM NOT), but if you just let your property go to sh!% and let it become a haven for the crackheads, then it didn't mean much to you anyway. At the same time, the people who care about their property and keep it up (like areas around TSU), i applaud them and they deserve not to be moved out of their neighborhoods.

Has anyone else noticed the demolitions around Houston in the last 6 -7 months? Is it looking like the city is beginning to clean up? Please share some thoughts.

C2H/ComingtoHouston

I don't think it's about moving "Blacks", "White/Brown Trash" out of the areas, is denying a safe haven for people to do illegal activities in.

There has been a number of stories in the past on how people are murdered, raped, acts of prostitution, or simply finding someone dead (OD, Exposure, etc) in these things.

Now, would you be sorry to see a structure like that be demo'd if it was next door to you?

The same rings true with some of these larger apartment complexes. While I want affordable housing to available and built, there has to be some responsibility from the owners of the property to maintain them and keep them from being turned into a complex for gangsters and crack heads.

Now before you go on with "why do they only pick on the black neighborhoods", ask yourself this: Do you honestly expect to find a crackhouse equivalent in Meyerland, River oaks, or tanglewilde? C'mon now!

[dbigtex56]

I don't think it's about moving "Blacks", "White/Brown Trash" out of the areas, is denying a safe haven for people to do illegal activities in.

There has been a number of stories in the past on how people are murdered, raped, acts of prostitution, or simply finding someone dead (OD, Exposure, etc) in these things.

Now, would you be sorry to see a structure like that be demo'd if it was next door to you?

The same rings true with some of these larger apartment complexes. While I want affordable housing to available and built, there has to be some responsibility from the owners of the property to maintain them and keep them from being turned into a complex for gangsters and crack heads.

Now before you go on with "why do they only pick on the black neighborhoods", ask yourself this: Do you honestly expect to find a crackhouse equivalent in Meyerland, River oaks, or tanglewilde? C'mon now!

I agree.

If previous administrations neglected enforcement of city ordinances in minority neighborhoods, shouldn't we be grateful that this one doesn't?

Everyone has the right to expect that his property is equally protected, regardless of race or income.

[Jeebus]

I had noticed that the Mayor's demo list has seemed to disproportionately target black neighborhoods. Haven't seen any notable demo activity in the East End aside from those apartments you mentioned.

I don't think that displacing "crackheads" is very useful as a matter of policy. It doesn't solve the problem; I'm not even clear that it makes it less visible.

How drunk were you when you posted this?

[TheNiche]

How drunk were you when you posted this?

Not very. Why?

[C2H]

I don't think it's about moving "Blacks", "White/Brown Trash" out of the areas, is denying a safe haven for people to do illegal activities in.

There has been a number of stories in the past on how people are murdered, raped, acts of prostitution, or simply finding someone dead (OD, Exposure, etc) in these things.

Now, would you be sorry to see a structure like that be demo'd if it was next door to you?

The same rings true with some of these larger apartment complexes. While I want affordable housing to available and built, there has to be some responsibility from the owners of the property to maintain them and keep them from being turned into a complex for gangsters and crack heads.

Now before you go on with "why do they only pick on the black neighborhoods", ask yourself this: Do you honestly expect to find a crackhouse equivalent in Meyerland, River oaks, or tanglewilde? C'mon now!

I agree with your post 100%, but i think you focused on a tiny litle sentence out of my whole paragraph and you entirely missed my point. For starters, I never said that blacks are being "picked on", nor did I imply it. My friend simply made the comment about the black folks and I said i feel sorry for some that were driven out, but at the same time, I'm tired of slumlords and nesteggs for crack atticks. It seems like Houston has an over-abundance of slummy areas compared to most cities and I'm tired of it. I also stated that the people who keep up their properties deserve to keep their properties but the slumlords don't. Why didn't you focus on that part of the sentence? It seems you went straight to the defensive and made it seem like I was trying to play the race card which I wasn't. Reading your previous posts in the past, I know you're a minority as well (well probably not so much anymore), but I would expect you to halfway understand where I was coming from when I said i sympathized with some of them. I'm still glad the areas are being cleaned up nontheless.

C2H/ComingtoHouston

[ricco67]

I agree with your post 100%, but i think you focused on a tiny litle sentence out of my whole paragraph and you entirely missed my point. For starters, I never said that blacks are being "picked on", nor did I imply it. My friend simply made the comment about the black folks and I said i feel sorry for some that were driven out, but at the same time, I'm tired of slumlords and nesteggs for crack atticks. It seems like Houston has an over-abundance of slummy areas compared to most cities and I'm tired of it. I also stated that the people who keep up their properties deserve to keep their properties but the slumlords don't. Why didn't you focus on that part of the sentence? It seems you went straight to the defensive and made it seem like I was trying to play the race card which I wasn't. Reading your previous posts in the past, I know you're a minority as well (well probably not so much anymore), but I would expect you to halfway understand where I was coming from when I said i sympathized with some of them. I'm still glad the areas are being cleaned up nontheless.

C2H/ComingtoHouston

You're correct that I did focus in on one sentence. Part of it comes from the fact that I constantly hear that people (whine) want to keep things as they are (particularly Freeman's town) and stay in crappy neighborhoods for it. Another part of it is that I just finished a couple (few?) of bottles of St. Arnold's and an awesome cuban a friend of mine gave me. I'm picking up Niche's habits of drinking while posting.

Also, I turned in my Mexican card in years ago when I refused to blindly follow LULAC.

[C2H]

I'm picking up Niche's habits of drinking while posting.

LOL

[ricco67]

LOL

Oh sure. laugh..

Everyone needs a hobby.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

...and I said i feel sorry for some that were driven out, but at the same time, I'm tired of slumlords and nesteggs for crack atticks. It seems like Houston has an over-abundance of slummy areas compared to most cities and I'm tired of it. I also stated that the people who keep up their properties deserve to keep their properties but the slumlords don't.

I know I'm picking out just a couple sentences, but...

I've seen a couple of homes demolished in my neighborhood, including one at the end of my street. I don't know if this is representative of the rest of the city, but in our case, the homes being demolished aren't pushing anyone out. These are homes that are falling down on themselves, are structurally unsafe, are vacant, and are usually tax-delinquent by more than a decade.

More than likely these homes fell vacant after the elderly homeowner died, and their family either didn't want the home or just didn't take care of it. No taxes paid, no maintenance, no renters, just an empty structure left to the elements...and varmints.

We also don't have a problem of crackheads living in vacant homes...at least not in my neck of the neighborhood. Can't speak to the rest of the hood. So when the city knocks down a home, they're not pushing anyone out, they're not getting rid of crackheads, just getting rid of an unsafe eyesore.

In the case of the lot on our street, after the home was demolished, the lot was eventually sold at auction. It's now at least sporadically mowed, and eventually when the time is right we'll see a new home on the lot with a new family...instead of the family of mice that used to reside there.