While the City of Houston has approved a $5 million voluntary relocation program to help Fifth Ward residents affected by contamination in the area, many residents who live near the Union Pacific Rail Yard have been reluctant to move because of confusion about the city’s relocation plan.
Community members residing near the contaminated Union Pacific Rail Yard in Fifth Ward express their dismay over what they perceive as a lack of transparency from the City of Houston. Mayor John Whitmire’s administration revealed that building permits were still being issued in the Fifth Ward until late last year, despite ongoing efforts to relocate residents from what they assert is a contaminated and purportedly cancer-clustered area.
Last September, the City of Houston greenlit a $5 million voluntary relocation program aimed at assisting long-standing residents in their struggle to address the contamination near the Union Pacific Rail Yard. However, confusion surrounding the city’s relocation plan has deterred some residents from moving forward.
The disclosure about building permits coincided with the Houston City Council’s approval of $2 million for the Houston Land Bank, tasked with managing the relocation process for residents who opt to relocate. Since January 2019, the city has approved 88 permits for single-family homes and 17 for multifamily units in the area, a practice halted by Whitmire approximately a month ago.
Fifth Ward activist Sandra Edwards, founder of IMPACT Justice, expressed frustration, stating, “How are you going to relocate me, but next door I got a permit to build? Why would I move and they’re coming in and I’m going out; that doesn’t look right.” In Lavender Street across from the rail yard, Edwards emphasized her desire for genuine community engagement in decision-making.
“Let me help you make a decision on my future,” Edwards insisted. “I see myself being okay staying here. Whatever contamination, it’s already here, why would I leave now and go down the road to get sick and die over there… this is where it’s going to end right here (Fifth Ward) for me.”
Edwards acknowledged the city’s efforts but criticized Union Pacific for not actively participating in resolving the issue. “They created this problem, didn’t nobody ask for all this,” she asserted. “They brought it over here and tried to leave it here and act like it didn’t happen.”
Amid ongoing redevelopment efforts, including new homes and infrastructure improvements, community member Cookie Wickerstraughter voiced concerns over conflicting information and the erosion of trust between residents and the city. “The hope and the trust has been broken and you (the City of Houston) need to fix it and stop ignoring us as if we don’t exist,” Wickerstraughter emphasized.
Echoing similar sentiments, Greater Fifth Ward Super Neighborhood President Joetta Stevenson highlighted the need for increased transparency and community involvement in decision-making processes. “If you don’t know what we’ve been doing, then you’re flying by the seat of your pants,” Stevenson remarked. “We want this new administration to be an ally, to embrace what we’ve already been working on so that they can catch up and we can move forward.”
Despite the challenges posed by contamination, residents emphasized the rich history and cultural significance of Fifth Ward, underscoring its vibrant past as a thriving community with notable musicians such as B.B. King and Sam Cooke contributing to its legacy.
Houston Public Media contributed to this report.