Poor nutrition and low Houston property values are just two of the negative consequences of so-called "food deserts" – urban areas where there are insufficient grocery options available to residents, according to a recent editorial in the Houston Chronicle.
To reach the per-capita average number of grocery stores in the area, the paper's editorial board says, Houston would need to add 185 facilities. This means that there are areas of Texas' largest city "where it's easier to buy beer than milk and hard to find an unfried potato. Chips and soda? No problem. Fresh greens, broccoli or grapefruit? Dream on," the board writes.
Economic development grants could make all the difference, according to the Chronicle piece. Providing a financial incentive for turning relatively downmarket Houston real estate into a grocery store could quickly spike property values and health in many areas, the paper writes.
Improved local property values could be, in turn, an incentive for gentrification in many areas, with condo developments and other housing options sprouting up, experts say.
Food deserts inexcusable in Houston, says Chronicle editorial
Houston property owners could be affected by new city initiative for green tech
A new program in Houston designed to encourage property owners to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings will offer incentives for some types of renovation, Mayor Annise Parker announced this week.
"The Energy Efficiency Incentive Program is an unprecedented opportunity for commercial building owners and managers to actively engage in the city-wide sustainability strategy – to make Houston a greener, cleaner and healthier place for ourselves and future Houstonians. The energy efficiency projects completed as part of this program will …. help buildings achieve their sustainability goals," she said in a statement.
City government will commit $3 million in seed funding to environmentally motivated improvement projects. If an approved engineering estimate finds that a given renovation will result in at least a 15 percent savings in energy costs, Houston will make anywhere from $20,000 to $200,000 – up to 20 percent of the improvement's total cost – available to the property owner.
In addition to the city incentives, property owners should consider the savings on energy costs by themselves. The difference between unmodified old buildings and new renovations can be startling, experts say.
Have you heard about the upcoming new Bill that offers a Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers?
The government has submitted a new program which offers $7,500 tax credit for first-time home buyers. While this is one of the most talked about measures in the upcoming new bill, it is also the most confusing. Simply, the government has created a monetary incentive, a tax credit for first-time home buyers, as a tool to stimulate the housing market. The tax credit will be 10% of the purchase price of a home, up to a maximum of $7,500. That means if the home costs more than $75,000 first-time home buyers (anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the last three (3) years) will receive the full $7,500 tax credit, this is not a new idea. Back in the 1970′s the government offered a similar program with one major difference: this new tax credit will have to be paid back over a period of 15 years, beginning two years after the credit is taken. Basically, the government is providing first time home buyers an interest-free loan up to $7,500 to help them buy a home! If the home owner happens to sell the home before the 15 years is up, the remaining credit is due upon sale from the profit of the home sale. However, and here’s the best part, if there is insufficient profit, after the sale of the home, then the remaining credit due is forgiven. You really have nothing to lose. There are, of course, income limits to qualify for this incentive. With this new tax credit and down payment assistance, you are finally in the driver’s seat in a buyer’s market with some of the best interest rates to date. Let me help you find your dream home.
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