Jump to content

Houston redevelopment official ousted after overgrown lots lead Third Ward residents to take action


BeerNut

Recommended Posts

Houston redevelopment official ousted after overgrown lots lead Third Ward residents to take action

Quote

Midtown fired Todd Edwards on May 31, the agency said, but it wasn’t until Oct. 3 that Houston’s Office of Inspector General determined Edwards “used his position at Midtown Redevelopment Authority inappropriately… to benefit himself and the owner of Cortez Landscaping,” according to a memo the Chronicle obtained through a records request. 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another article about issue. 

Overgrown lots, neighborhood activists sparked city probe of fired Midtown official

Quote

Brian Van Tubergen’s frustrations with the overgrown, vacant lots owned by the Midtown Redevelopment Authority had long since boiled over by the time he addressed its board in October 2019.

The authority’s weedy parcels in his part of Third Ward were magnets for illegal dumping. The problem had gotten so bad the city of Houston was slapping violation notices on its nominal partner in affordable housing.

It was time for the board to resign, Van Tubergen said at the public meeting.

A high-ranking MRA official defended the agency. Todd Edwards, the authority’s real estate asset manager, said it was spending $200,000 a month on landscaping contracts for roughly 500 lots.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...