The Leader • Saturday, June 23, 2018 • Page 1B
Avenue Houston provides landscaping tips, services as hurricane season progresses For The Leader Entering another hurricane season, Houstonians are undoubtedly feeling some anxiety. After all, if was only ten months ago that Hurricane Harvey devastated the region, impacting more than 100,000 single family homes in Harris County alone. Even those who experienced minimal flooding wonder what they can do to protect their homes as the possibility of another major flood event in Houston looms. Recently, Avenue Houston partnered with Living Paradigm and Trees for Houston to provide additional flood protection for area residents who had experienced minimal flooding after Hurricane Harvey, including around Independence Heights. In an effort to draw potential flood water away from the home, teams of volunteers worked to make several enhancements to the properties’ landscapes, including
Photo courtesy of Avenue Houston The first step toward a “rain garden” to absorb rainwater in a north Houston yard, with volunteer help.
are lightweight and easy to transport – can all be sourced locally. Depending on each homeowner’s budget and the individual needs of the home, these tasks can also be completed all at once or in stages. “Our goal is to apply these water mitigation landscaping practices in our new and future developments so we can help families keep their homes safe from future flood risk,” he said.
• Improving gutters and downspouts * Creating dry swales for the storage and filtration of storm water runoff * Installing native grasses and plants to create rain gardens to absorb rainwater * Planting trees donated by Trees for Houston * Installing a 40-gallon rainwater collection tank Avenue has spent more than 26 years building affordable homes and strengthening communities, so Property Acquisition Specialist Anton Edwards said the company understands the critical impact a home – a warm, dry, safe place to live – has on long-term health and wellness. “In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, we have mobilized our team to provide a wide variety of support services including home repair, education and counseling, and simple, affordable DIY projects to help homeowners on
Photo courtesy of Avenue Houston Volunteers help with roof and gutter maintenance on a north Houston home.
the path to recovery,” he said. “We are also proud to partner with a number of other local organizations - including nonprofits and the faith-based community – to assist with unmet needs that still exist nearly a year after Harvey. “ To date, Avenue has completed 84 home repairs and assisted nearly 200 Houstonians in one-on-one counseling. Avenue’s collaboration with Living Paradigm and Trees for Houston is designed to benefit
the lifespan of the home and create more efficient drainage that pulls water away, reducing the flood risk in the event of a severe weather event. “[We] understand that a home is a person’s most valuable asset and we are committed to doing all we can to help preserve that investment,” Edwards said. Edwards said many of the tasks can also be undertaken by a single homeowner. The materials – many of which
Key to affordability All of the flood mitigation landscaping projects completed by Avenue were designed to be done by homeowners, so there were a few key factors to consider including simplicity, affordability and sustainability. To help minimize costs and optimize sustainability, teams focused on utilizing recycled materials and native plants and grasses that naturally occurring in Houston’s environment. Tips for Homeowners According to Edwards, it’s easy to make small changes to an existing water run-off plan.
Summer home prices shoot up
Garden Oaks/Oak Forest (77018, 77092) In the northern portion of local neighborhoods, buyers and sellers saw gains across the board. According to the HAR report, home sales in the majority of Garden Oaks/Oak Forest saw a slight 4 percent uptick, with 258 homes selling last month compared to 249 the previous May. Meanwhile, buyers in this
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If your home already has gutters, you can connect a drainage tube to help move water even further away. “It’s a simple and cost-effective way to help mitigate flood risk,” he said. Another thing to consider with any flood mitigation landscaping project is the terrain of your property. “If possible, it’s best to take advantage of natural low-lying areas because they are prime for minor excavation,” Edwards said. “Homeowners can dig these areas out and fill them in with drainage tubes and gravel to create a detention pond with mosquito-resistant properties.” Homeowners can also take this a step further by covering the detention pond with soil and planting native plants and grasses that are more efficient at soaking up excess water, compared to adaptive species.
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a steady keel, showcasing a modest 3.4 percent gain up to $398,750 by month’s end.
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Leader-area neighborhoods saw a noticeable drop in sales accompanied by rising average and median home prices across the board. Meanwhile, the greater Houston market remained in positive territory in May with a one percent rise in home sales and record highs for average and median prices according to the most recent report from the Houston Association of Realtors. “We saw textbook seasonality at play across most of Houston in May as the spring home-buying season got underway, and an improving supply of homes definitely helped,” said HAR Chair Kenya Burrell-VanWormer with JPMorgan Chase. This past month, home sales in the local area dipped by as much as 9 percent, while average and median prices surged by up to 12 percent in select neighborhoods.
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Photo courtesy of Houston Association of Realtors Homes in the 77092 area are part of the recent rise in prices.
neighborhood experienced skyrocketing home prices. Compared to last May’s $457,400 average price figures, homes in Garden Oaks and Oak Forest went for an average of $515,890 this past month – nearly a 13 percent gain. Further, the neighborhood’s median prices rose by nearly 7 percent from last May’s figure, coming in at $426,975. On the western portion of the area (77092), 9 percent fewer homes came off the market last month compared to the same time period in 2017. According to the HAR report, average prices on the western edge of Garden Oaks/ Oak Forest saw a modest 2 percent rise, while median prices gained a bit more, rising nearly 5 percent to $260,000 at month’s end.
Lazybrook/Timbergrove, Greater Heights (77008, 77009) One of the few areas to experience a sales dip, sellers saw 390 homes come off the market last month in the Greater Heights, Timbergrove, and Lazybrook (77008) — a modest 4.2 percent drop from the pace of 407 the previous May. Both average and median prices gained about 6 percent last month, up to $524,977 and $465,000, respectively. To the east, those in the Woodland Heights and near Northside (77009) saw the greatest local gains in home sales in May, as 222 sales closed during the month – a 12.1 percent rise from the same month in 2017. Average home price mirrored the Greater Heights with a 6.4 percent gain to $452,599, while median home price maintained
Washington Heights, Rice Military (77007) Finally, the southernmost neighborhoods of The Leader’s coverage area showed a significant dip in sales activity compared to the previous May, as only 266 homes came off the market – a downturn of more than 8 percent, one of the largest in the area. Meanwhile home prices in these neighborhoods represented the second-healthiest local gains, rising nearly 10 percent up to $545,073; and median home price gains nearly mirrored the Greater Houston region with a modest 3.9 percent jump.
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