By: Fred Smith

In Houston, the engines of so-called progress are roaring through the city’s historic Black neighborhoods — paving over culture, memory, and legacy in the name of “revitalization.” What’s being called growth is, for many residents, nothing less than cultural erasure.

Communities like Third Ward, Fifth Ward, Independence Heights, and Sunnyside once stood as symbols of Black resilience and entrepreneurship. Families built homes there after being denied access to other parts of the city. Churches, barber shops, and small businesses gave those areas their heartbeat. But now, the sound of bulldozers drowns out that rhythm.

Rents have surged. Property taxes have climbed. And longtime homeowners — many of them seniors — are receiving offers they can’t refuse or afford to match.

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