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Bellfort Park Apartments celebrated its grand reopening on July 28 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to a report by Community Impact.
The 64-unit apartment building, which provides housing for families with low and moderate incomes from diverse backgrounds, is the City of Houston's first multifamily property to be renovated under the Harvey Multifamily Program.
"So excited for the residents at Bellfort Park Apartments as we celebrated the grand re-opening today," Houston Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Castex-Tatum stated on Twitter. "I want more rehabs in District K! This was a big win for Houston."
According to Community Impact, the units have been renovated to include modern appliances, security systems and amenities.
“The homes built to be affordable 50 years ago were built before current resilient design and construction standards,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a press release. “Bellfort Park Apartments is the first development to complete every single stage of the Harvey Multifamily Program. They are setting the standard for what we can accomplish with this program and are helping to pave the way for a more resilient Houston.”
The Harvey Multifamily Housing Program is designed to repair houses destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. Although the city lost control of the single-family reconstruction program, it maintained control of the apartment reconstruction program, which is now underway.
"Oftentimes, renters are not a priority," Turner said at the event. "We've kind of changed that paradigm because for these 64 units that have been around for 60 years, this has been your home."
Houston is also renovating and leasing six additional Harvey-damaged apartment complexes, according to an ABC 13 article.
These complexes will accommodate an additional 649 families, with the majority paying subsidized "affordable" rents.
The city estimates the $450 million initiative will eventually construct 4,428 apartments in total.