The Houston Housing Authority on Wednesday opened leasing at The Pointe at Bayou Bend apartment complex in Houston, Texas, after Mayor John Whitmire in 2024 asked the agency to halt plans over contamination concerns and this week announced that officials determined the site poses no risk to residents.
Mayor Whitmire in 2024 directed the Houston Housing Authority to pause leasing at The Pointe at Bayou Bend, which stands near a previously contaminated site that had drawn environmental and community scrutiny.
City officials and the Houston Housing Authority over the past months reviewed environmental data, consulted regulatory findings and evaluated remediation work related to the nearby contaminated property.
Whitmire on Monday said the review found that the site of The Pointe at Bayou Bend meets safety standards and that the city and housing authority concluded the complex does not expose residents to health risks from the historic contamination.
The Houston Housing Authority resumed leasing activity at The Pointe at Bayou Bend this week after the mayor and agency leaders received the findings of the environmental review.
The Houston Housing Authority previously delayed move-ins and leasing at the complex in response to the mayor’s 2024 request for a halt and to allow additional assessment of conditions around the property.
Whitmire said city officials relied on those documents and expert input in reaching the conclusion that The Pointe at Bayou Bend can safely house tenants.
The Houston Housing Authority notified prospective tenants and community stakeholders about the resumption of leasing and referenced the city’s determination that no current environmental risk exists at the complex.
The resumption of leasing at The Pointe at Bayou Bend adds new housing units to Houston’s inventory at a time when local officials track demand for affordable and subsidized housing.
The Houston Housing Authority said staff will assist eligible applicants with leasing procedures and will answer questions about the environmental review process and the status of the neighboring formerly contaminated site.