This project aims to advance affordable housing in Sharpstown/Gulfton by studying the feasibility of renovating existing apartments and building new housing on underutilized sites. This study is intended to be the initial step in a larger housing strategy for the neighborhood.

Perhaps the neighborhood’s greatest asset, Sharpstown/Gulfton’s density of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) is also one of its greatest challenges. Once built for young single professionals working in the oil boom industry of the 70’s and 80’s, the area’s apartments are unsuited to needs of the families of immigrants and refugees living there today. Additionally, given their age, the majority of the area’s housing stock is at the end of their useful life and needs significant renovation and/or potential redevelopment in the coming years. Coupled with the extremely low percent of homeownership opportunities in the area, Sharpstown/Gulfton will need to more broadly diversify its housing stock to accommodate upwardly mobile households, reduce the negative impacts stemming from high neighborhood turnover, and increase overall community retention in the area.