Generally, where one lives impacts almost every aspect of their lives, like the quality of education they get and healthcare, the presence of good-paying jobs, and fresh food. It also determines the water people drink, the quality of air, and health in general. From the recent COVID- 19 pandemic, it is evident that areas of residence influence the chances of catching the virus and getting vaccinated. Currently, some states in the United States are facing Environmental racism, particularly, Houston Texas. You do not need to be a historian to notice the prominent environmental racism in Houston in terms of affordable housing and gentrification. Gentrification is the process where a poor urban area is changed by rich people moving into the area, starting a new business and improving housing, which ends up increasing property value and displacing its residents in the process. The racism can be witnessed in the deliberate dumping of toxic waste products and industrial facilities in and near Black and Brown residents. The act is salient since these communities inhabiting the neighborhoods are not responsible for causing the majority of health dangers.  As of 2019, over twenty industrial and toxic waste facilities are located in the Harrisburg neighborhood, which hosts 90 percent of Hispanic residents. In addition, there are large quantity generators for dangerous waste and treatment and disposal facilities. On the other hand, the chemical plants and oil refineries are located near or within communities of people of color. Over the past decades, Houston was a prominent state that hosted the majority of Black people. However, with the current gentrification, the state has seen most white people moving in, making new changes that have led to the displacement of the Black and Brown people. The reformations include a rise in rents, the building of luxury houses, disturbance of the neighborhood character, and the increase in the median neighborhood. Therefore, I agree that gentrification in Houston has had detrimental effects on the neighborhoods, and some of its effects are visible through demographic characteristics and affordable housing developments patterns.

Based on research, it is evident that gentrification in Houston has detrimental effects on people of color. In this case, gentrification is where the state of Houston is inhabited by the wealthier white people, improving houses and businesses, which ends up displacing the Black and Brown communities. Since the turn of the century, gentrification had started in Houston, and most people, especially the Black and Brown communities, were against it. As it can be seen currently, the Houston neighborhoods are taking a new course through gentrification. In the twentieth century, the Fourth Ward, at the time, was home to Houston’s Freedmen’s state. In 1920, the third and fifth Ward became a Black Civic community. After rising to prominence, business leaders expanded their businesses, built larger organizations, and created a strong meaning despite prevalent racism. However, the total number of black residents as of 2018 had dropped.  In the Fifth Ward and Sunnyside, the numbers have dropped by 4000 and 2000, respectively (Welch, 2021). In the Third Ward, the minority people of color make up only 45% which is a decrease from 71% in 2010. The Houston gentrification did not affect the people of color only, but it also impacted the Hispanics and the Latinos.  According to the United States census data, the Hispanic population had dropped by six percent over the last decade. The Hispanics have seen a drop from 23 725 to 20 399 inhabitants. Most of the Latin residents were displaced by the white population (Welch, 2021). Currently, the communities feel the impact of the displacement with developments and constructions built all over the neighborhood. The prominent rising gentrification has influenced affordable Housing in Houston. Due to its gentrification, Houston experiences a shortage of affordable housing and a concentration of affordable housing in low-income areas. Hence, from my point of view, it is clear that gentrification in Houston has contributed to the displacement of Black Americans and Hispanics and replaced them with wealthy white residents.

Generally, affordable housing in Houston is controlled by four agencies. They are; “Houston Housing Authority (HHA), the Harris County Housing Authority (HCHA), the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) and the Houston Housing Financial Corporation (HHFC).” The PHA and HCHA are in charge of administering vouchers and operating housing units. On the other hand, the HHA agency awards grants and offers financial support to developers who charge below-market rents. The HHFC gives out bonds for developing single and multiple-family housing (Salhotra, 2018). Despite having these executive agencies, Houston faces a shortage of affordable housing. Consequently, among the entire population of Houston, only a tiny percentage of its residents are considered a high opportunity. They are characterized by low rates of poverty, low crime rates, high- quality schools, among others. The majority of them are wealthy residents residing in high opportunity areas. Individuals receiving vouchers or living in funded public houses reside in high-poverty areas. Generally, those receiving vouchers are the minorities African Americans, and most of them live in low opportunity neighborhoods. They mainly reside in neighborhoods with high poverty- rate, high crime rates. Besides, most of these funded houses are found in high opportunity areas, which host the majority of the white residents. It is evident that public housing is built-in high-poverty areas to segregate low-income minority families.

As depicted, I agree that gentrification in Houston has influenced Affordable Housing in one way or another. As a result of the wealthy white people moving to Houston, they displaced the minority African Americans and Hispanics and came up with complex changes. The changes included a rise in rents, home prices, the development of luxury housing, and an increase in the median income in the neighborhood. As a result of the changes, Houston’s regular order of life took a new course that could not accommodate the minorities, forcing them to move away. After their displacement, the white residents took over their neighborhoods, especially the Third Ward (PARK, 2021). Moreover, the changes they brought with them caused significant changes like renting urban houses has risen substantially. The situation of Affordable housing was mainly witnessed in the Third Ward neighborhood. Most low-income Black Americans have been displaced due to high rents and housing, and the wealthy white residents took their place.  The scenario is a demolishing of affordable housing for those residing in the area. According to various reports, low-income households have higher turnouts of residents than high-income households. It is evident that low-income families cannot afford to pay high rents; hence, they move out of the area. When they move out, wealthy families with high incomes take their positions. This is a case that is increasingly witnessed in Houston, Texas. It is clear that gentrification displaces the poor from their homes and replaces them with well-off new residents.

In my view, I do agree that gentrification in Houston affects the minorities in society. Most importantly, it has detrimental effects on affordable housing in the region. Its adverse effects are felt mainly by Black Americans. In the case where they are displaced, they move to poorer non- gentrifying neighborhoods within the state. Those moving into the abandoned areas tend to benefit the most from gentrification compared to those moving out.  Houston’s Affordable Housing is more concentrated in the low-income neighborhoods with the minority Black Americans and Hispanics (Wilhelmsson, Ismail & Warsame, 2021). Most importantly, the primary reason for gentrification-related displacements is the increased cost for the residents. The rent increase is fuelled by the presence of wealthy new inhabitants who have invested in the neighborhood. In addition, it is clear that as demographic changes occur in the state, the housing and developments market is slowly changing. The constructions and developments in Houston have been focused on the affluent neighborhoods rather than the disadvantaged neighborhoods. It is evident through the increased demolition activities in the neighborhoods of the wealthy residents. It indicates that development will improve in some areas in the neighborhood while some areas will stagnate. It simply means a growth in the areas inhabited by the already wealthy inhabitants and a stall on the part of the minorities.

Most people have often viewed gentrification as a bad thing. It has often been received with resentments and resistance, especially from the people affected by it. According to various reports, some concerned individuals have come up to resist gentrification publicly. Moreover, plans and strategies have been implemented to counter the issues. Generally, the issue has been viewed as a bad omen and experiences resistance because of its detrimental effects on the minorities (King & Lowe, 2018). Despite the adverse effects it may have, in my view, gentrification is not entirely evil. To some point, it is a good thing for the good of society. As a result of the increasing housing and inadequate affordable housing, people often move to find shelter elsewhere. Gentrification hence helped to reduce the unoccupied houses by finding new inhabitants. Economically, the neighborhoods inhabited mainly by low-income residents are struggling in terms of economy. Poor economy causes a stall in development for any country. But thankfully, the problem can be resolved by having new investors in the region. This is only possible through gentrification. It will help stabilize the declining economy by bringing wealthy investors into the region. Gentrification also helps bring diversity to the region. As evident, Houston, Texas, was once inhabited by a minority Black population and not any other race. For a society to function well, it must accommodate people of different attributes, status quo and even race. Through gentrification, Houston’s diversity has increased since the population of white residents has increased in the region, especially in the Third Ward. Gentrification is mostly not all about displacing people, but also it is about urban revitalization. It is a form of an initiative to renew Houston to create room for higher class housing, investment and business for a change in the neighborhood. Despite its detrimental effects, the ends justify the means.

To sum up, it is evident that gentrification and affordable housing are issues of concern in Houston, Texas, which has brought more harm than good. It is also clear that Houston used to be a stronghold of the Black Americans in the twentieth century. However, over the past decades, this situation has changed, fuelled by gentrification. As new rich white people came into the neighborhood, they brought changes that affected Affordable Housing. Some of their changes caused a surge in rents which most of the minorities could not afford. Therefore, they are forced to move to lower-income areas residents to cope up with the new rent and housing changes. Consequently, environmental racism, in general, has always not favored minorities. It has always worked in favor of the majority of wealthy individuals and is an issue that is still growing and will be witnessed for the next decade. It is evident that the issue does a lot of harm and good. The deliberate construction of industries and dumping toxic products in Black’s neighborhoods had caused adverse health problems to them. Consequently, high rents and displacements have forced some people to become homeless and live in terrible conditions and neighborhoods. Therefore, people should work together to fight environmental racism and the displacement of minorities by wealthy people.  They can get started on the fights by first creating awareness to the public on the matters at hand; it can be through social media or holding a peaceful demonstration.  In addition, the people should take the matters to court in an effort to enact new laws restricting the ongoing environmental racism and passing new residential zoning laws.