City of Houston and Partners Break Ground on Reconstruction of New Senior Living Community

May 17, 2022 —Mayor Sylvester Turner and partners today broke ground on the reconstruction of a senior community at 2100 Memorial Drive. The new development replaces a former senior living community that was flooded with five feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.

The new community will sit two feet above the 500-year flood plain and will meet new 2019 floodwater management regulations which include a flow-through parking garage to safeguard the integrity of the building.

Closing on the demolition of 2100 Memorial occurred in July 2021 after the remaining tenants were relocated. Due to its proximity to Memorial Drive and neighboring structures, each floor of the structure had to be removed piece by piece. The seven-month demolition process was completed in April 2022.

“Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of our city. Some people were left with nowhere to live, while others endured significant damage which made their homes uninhabitable,” said Mayor Turner. “Today, we, show that no storm can stop Houston from moving forward. We are a resilient community and the work we do on developments like 2100 Memorial makes our communities more resilient even still.”

“Not only does the reconstruction of 2100 Memorial mitigate future flooding with the addition of huge culverts, said Director Keith Bynam, Housing and Community Development, “but we are happy to be able to preserve affordable housing for seniors in a high-cost market.”

The reconstructed 197-unit community will include:

• 39 units reserved for project-based vouchers
• 120 units reserved for residents at 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI)
• 18 units for residents that fall within the 80% AMI
• 20 units at market cost

Residents who lived at this property before the storm are being given the first chance to move into the new building, which includes significant upgrades that make the building and the area nearby safer than before.

The City of Houston contributed $25 million in Community Block Development Grant Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR17) funds to the total $62 million cost of the reconstruction of this development.

CBDG-DR17 funds are awarded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, through the Texas General Land Office to provide affordable rental units for low-to-moderate-income households within the city of Houston boundaries that were directly impacted by Hurricane Harvey. The funds are administered by Houston’s Harvey Multifamily Program.

The City of Houston Housing and Community Development (HCD) makes long-term investments to better the lives of Houston residents by creating opportunities for every Houstonian to have a home they can afford in a community where they can thrive. Our department will spend approximately $450 million in federal, state, and local funding this fiscal year to construct and maintain affordable homes, reduce barriers to homeownership, support the work of social service providers, build public amenities, and facilitate disaster recovery efforts. Learn more about programs and resources for Houstonians at www.houstontx.gov/housing.