In August 2014, Angel Lane of southwest Houston saw a celebration for the opening of its community center. According to the 5 Corners District notice dated August 20, 2014, Habitat for Humanity constructed 65 homes, landscaped and furnished for families that were affected by the 2005 hurricanes, while four lots of original residences were reserved for the community center.
The project was created in collaboration with Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network, Habitat for Humanity, and the city of Houston. According to the 2009 Justice Department press release, the project was meant to address the displacement caused by the two 2005 hurricanes. The release noted that the program was intended to assist around 65 families in moving to Houston and purchasing houses under better conditions.
Neighborhood built after the 2005 hurricanes
According to the November 2013 report published in the Houston Chronicle, Oprah Winfrey donated $10 million personally right after the storms occurred. The viewer-supported Angel Network managed to collect another $5 million.
The Justice Department stated that Oprah’s Angel Network provided the financing, while Habitat for Humanity built and furnished the houses and also served as an interest-free lender. The City of Houston provided down payment assistance through its Housing and Community Development Department, enabling the chosen families to buy their houses at very low prices.
{{/usCountry}}The Justice Department stated that Oprah’s Angel Network provided the financing, while Habitat for Humanity built and furnished the houses and also served as an interest-free lender. The City of Houston provided down payment assistance through its Housing and Community Development Department, enabling the chosen families to buy their houses at very low prices.
{{/usCountry}}The houses were constructed mostly on Ashburton Springs Drive, which was later renamed Angel Lane, according to the Justice Department. The 5 Corners District described the location as a large plot of land behind the Glen Iris subdivision, gifted by the landowner for the residential area. The four remaining lots were reserved for a community center.
Construction commenced towards the end of 2005, with people starting to settle into their new homes in February 2006, as stated in the Houston Chronicle. The families were given low-cost, no-interest mortgages courtesy of Houston Habitat for Humanity, and the houses were equipped via Oprah and the Angel Network. The neighborhood had grown to include 65 homes by November 2013, although the much-awaited community center was still not completed.
Years of waiting for the opening of the community center
According to the Houston Chronicle, the residents had been waiting for over seven years for the community center to open. A ceremonial groundbreaking of the project took place in September 2013, and construction was underway by November.
Judson Robinson III, the then-president and CEO of the Houston Area Urban League, said the Urban League took charge of developing and running the facility after another large nonprofit in Houston declined the project. Robinson said that the organization took almost one year to negotiate with the initial architects and terminated that relationship, only to bring on board a new set of architects, who delayed work and decreased funds meant for development.
The Houston Chronicle says that there was $600,000 to $700,000 left to build the structure, with additional funding for three years of programming. A proposal for a 4,550-square-foot facility had been designed in December 2012 and approved for permits in July 2013. Robinson said that the final project would not include all aspects of the original design because the plan exceeded the available budget.
For the residents, the facility represented much more than just adding a building in their community. Yvette Bynum said she wanted a secure environment where kids could enjoy themselves and have some neighbors to watch out for them.
The 5 Corners District noted that the project remained stalled for a number of years until the District K office helped revive the project. According to the report, Angel Lane’s homeowners association held a grand opening ceremony to mark the center’s opening. The project was overseen by the Houston Area Urban League, an agency of United Way and an affiliate of the National Urban League.