HOUSTON—Local nonprofit Avenue recently gathered with Mayor Sylvester Turner and other supporters for a socially distanced groundbreaking to mark the start of vertical construction on much-needed new affordable rental housing for Houston's working families. The new development, Avenue on 34th, is a mixed-income multifamily community located in the Oak Forest neighborhood.

Located at 2136 West 34th St., Avenue on 34th is designed to be a freestanding four-story multifamily building offering 70 mixed-income units on 2.1 acres in North Houston. Project delivery is anticipated in mid-2022 and Avenue has partnered with Block Companies, which is serving as general contractor on the project.

"We are delighted to advance construction on Avenue on 34th at a time when affordable housing with proximity to the Inner Loop is such a critical need among working families. The influx of new developments in and around the city's urban core has resulted in the demolition of existing lower cost housing and, as a result, has priced low and middle-income families out of many communities," said Mary Lawler, executive director at Avenue. "Data shows that affordable homes help strengthen families and communities as a whole, providing families with a path forward to greater financial stability and improved health outcomes."