THE HISTORIC AREA IS NOT SO HISTORIC ANY MORE!
If you've ever been to historic Fifth Ward you may have passed through Frenchtown. It's an area that's bordered by the Eastex Freeway and Brewster Street runs through it. The community was originally settled back in the 1920's by mainly Black Frenchmen from Louisiana. Their ancestry can be traced in some or fashion back to France via the Bayou State. The Frenchmen came to Texas mainly as skilled and semi-skilled workers who worked for the railroad. The group brought with them their rich culture of Zydeco music, Creole cuisine and Catholicism. Frenchtown in northeast Houston became their home and their pride. But fast forward about 80 years and the original settlers would be embarrassed. The Insite made a stop in the area to get video of overgrown and abandoned lots. I had no problem finding them. But I was really surprised at the bad condition parts of the historic area were in. Wall to wall trash with neglected land and dilapidated housing. The current residents say it feels as if they've lost control. I also ran into Pastor Amos Cruz of Nazareth Christian Family Center located on Brewster. He says they've worked with city officials in the area but residents also need to begin to care about their community before the problems can be completely addressed. Cruz says the problems are mounting. He says there is prostitution, gang activity, drug dealing, loitering and lots of littering. The Pastor is hoping city officials seriously push a program that would turn neglected lots into small urban farms. He says that's a start but much more must be done than block by block band aids. Another resident who didn't want to be identified says those who remain in Frenchtown which include Hispanics as well as African Americans now must take pride in the neighborhood before there can be a real change for the better. He says until then - Frenchtown is destined for a slow death. From what the Insite witnessed the body is already cold!
Question: What will it take to save Frenchtown or is it too late already?
Note: There are still some homes and properties where people take care of what they own in Frenchtown but there's also a lot of what you see here on The Insite - dilapidation!
Carol M. Galloway would never allow this to remain that way!
ReplyDeleteWhere is councilmember Jarvis Johnson!
Galloway is busy trying to stay relevant in a city and community that has passed her by...and she is failing at that.
ReplyDeleteI think the people of that area need to clean up their own community. It's time we stop asking city officials to do anything for us. Besides Jarvis is too busy chasing them skirts around fifth ward.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the citizens in the neighborhood need to step up and change the neighborhood. We can't leave it up to city hall to do it. The red tape runs to deep. Mr.X has his office off of Lyons, maybe he can help clean up the area. Oh wait he was a drug dealer so count him out. Its pretty sad to drive around there and see the trash, run down houses and the drug dealers everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI agree, People take some pride in your neighborhood. If people pick up the trash and set it on the curb im pretty sure heavy trash removal would come a take it.
ReplyDeleteIt must be a non election year in that district or else one of those people would have this mess cleaned up in a hot second.
Its just sad that people are so damm lazy. being old and disabled is one thing but Im sure there are plenty of able bodied people in the neighborhood that is capable of lifting a shovel.
Abandoned lots are primed for dumping, and all of it is not done by the people in the community. You wouldn't understand that unless you saw a 2008 dual cab truck pull up to the lot next to your house and start throwing trash out... a lot of it is the community, but some of it is businesses being too cheap to pay for trash pick up or the cost of dumping it at the city dump.
ReplyDeleteYes illegial dumping is going on and some of it occurs in broad daylight but people in the hood aint goin to rat someone out.
ReplyDeleteI can't count how many time I personally seen folks just throw wataburger bags out their windows, not even giving a damm.
Policing has to start in the community with peer pressure. apparantly either folks there are just too dumb to do anything or they like the appearance of garbage scattered everywhere.