HOUSTON — One of Houston’s most vulnerable communities is getting a vital piece of equipment to help them stay safe and comfortable when severe weather hits.
The city on Wednesday announced its plans to install a permanent generator at the Kashmere Multi-Service Center at 4801 Lockwood Drive.
The center was secured as a resilience hub last December to provide essential services, including acting as a cooling and warming center for its vulnerable residents.
The city announced plans to install a permanent generator at its community center within the next 12 months. The initiative comes after the center failed to provide essential services during critical weather events.
However, nearly a year later residents shared their frustrations and said it’s been a long time coming, including community advocate, Sandra Edwards. Born and raised in Fifth Ward, she’s made it a mission to fight for her community.
"There's a lot of people like me, out here boots on the ground helping to get this started,” said Edwards.
She said bringing resources to the area is an ongoing struggle, so they were thrilled when Kashmere Gardens became home to the city's first resilience hub, a one-stop shop where people can come for help during disasters and more.
The problem is, she said the resilience hub hasn't been very resilient.
It was forced to close during some of this year’s big weather events, including May's Derecho and Hurricane Beryl due to lack of electricity.
"It's very frustrating because when you get up here, and what you get up here to, no power no nothing, so you're going back to the situation you left,” said Edwards.
Edwards said she and so many others felt the city failed to follow through on promises.
"This is long overdue,” she said.
Mayor John Whitmire acknowledged the community's long-standing neglect.
"Kashmere has been neglected for too long," Whitmire said in a news conference Wednesday.
Council Member Letitia Plummer, who serves in the city’s At-Large Position 4 played a pivotal role to bring the project to life.
"I think it's important to state that Kashmere Gardens community has a 20% lower life expectancy rate than any other community in Harris County,” said Plummer. "This particular community has experienced extreme weather events, repeated power outages, families have endured unbearable heat, freezing and cold, and lack of resources, these conditions are unacceptable in the city like ours."
In addition to the near $900,000 investment, the city shared they've also fixed the solar-powered carport that was damaged during one of the storms.
The city said once up and running the generator could also bring in revenue for the city, by selling excess power to ERCOT.
Meanwhile, Edwards said while the community still plans to hold the city accountable, they’re glad to finally be seen and heard.
"To see if finally coming together it gives us hope out here.”
Mayor Whitmire has said ones of his administrations goals is to get backup generators for all the city's multi-service centers as well as fire stations. They said they hope this project can be used a model to implement that goal.