HOUSTON – Houston City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to transform more than 12 acres of city-owned land in south Houston into a new single-family housing community, including 89 homes priced for low- to moderate-income buyers.
Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum, who represents District K, led the effort and made clear just how significant the location is for the city’s affordable housing goals.
“For us to bring these single-family homes — I can’t say enough about the location,” Castex-Tatum said.
The development, called Braes Park, will be built at 10301 Stella Link Road — about a five minute drive from the Texas Medical Center in the city. It is a major employment hub for tens of thousands of Houston-area workers.
What the vote authorizes
The ordinance approved by council authorizes two key agreements: a Purchase and Sale Agreement between the city and developer Willowbend Link, LP, and a forgivable loan agreement to help finance the developer’s purchase of the 12.22-acre property. The loan will be forgiven upon expiration of a Land Use Restriction Agreement, or LURA, which is designed to keep the homes affordable over time.
Of the 144 homes planned for the site, approximately 89 will be sold as affordable units, with price points ranging from $210,000 to $300,000. The remaining homes will be market-rate. The development will offer a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom single-family detached homes and will be built out across seven or eight phases.
Finding the right developer for the project was not a quick process, Castex-Tatum noted.
“It took us a while to find the right person to develop this,” the city’s mayor pro tem said.
Affordable housing for working families
The project targets households earning up to 120% of the Area Median Income, or AMI — a threshold that includes many working families who earn too much to qualify for deeply subsidized housing but still struggle to afford homeownership in Houston’s competitive real estate market.
Castex-Tatum said the vote comes at a critical moment for the city.
“Everyone is talking about affordability, and how affordability is slipping away,” Castex-Tatum said. “I’m looking forward to this 12 acres becoming part of our affordable housing,”.
Council Member Willie Davis, who holds At-Large Position 2, echoed that sentiment, framing the development as a broader win for Houston.
“As we know, affordable housing is all we want for Houston … this is a win. A way to bring people back to the city,” Davis said.
Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department, known as HCD, recommended council approval. The department oversees the city’s Affordable Home Development Program, which aims to expand single-family homeownership opportunities in desirable neighborhoods across the city.
A property years in the making
The Stella Link Road site has a complex history. The city originally purchased the 12.22-acre property in March 2022 for $13,839,150 using Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery 2017 funds — federal dollars tied to Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. The property was later re-acquired using Uptown TIRZ Series 2021 Affordable Homes funds after the original development plan was deemed unfeasible under the Texas General Land Office’s timeline requirements for development and home sales.
The proposal was reviewed by the city’s Housing and Affordability Committee on Sept. 15, 2026, before advancing to the full council.
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