For nearly a decade, Forest Green Townhomes in northeast Houston have sat empty, a fenced-off reminder of the floodwaters that ripped through during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and left much of the complex uninhabitable. The roughly 100-unit public-housing development is now overgrown, posted with no-trespassing signs, and watched by security while the surrounding neighborhood waits to see what happens next. Officials say the property is under contract to be sold, with a closing expected in late May 2026.
Agency Confirms Sale Is Moving Forward
Housing Alliance HTX, formerly known as the Houston Housing Authority, told ABC13 that finalizing the sale is now a priority after years of vacancy. The agency said earlier rehabilitation plans were not realistic because of the site’s flooding history. More than 80% of units were vacated to allow for extensive repairs, and officials say vouchers were provided so residents could relocate. According to ABC13, the buildings are currently boarded up, posted with warnings, and monitored by security.
Engineering Review Urged Demolition
Civil-engineering firm Gradient Group conducted a preliminary drainage investigation of the Forest Green site and found that keeping detention on-site would require tearing out the existing development. In its project description, the firm outlines several mitigation alternatives and ultimately recommends demolition and replacement as the better long-term option for residents. Public housing records also list Forest Green as a roughly 100-unit development, consistent with the size of the complex evaluated in that review, according to ProPublica.
How The Sale Got Here
Board materials show the housing authority has spent the past year steering the property through a formal sales process. A March 18, 2025 packet recommended transferring the roughly 13-acre Forest Green tract to E-Street Capital LLC, according to the HHA board packet. As part of that disposition process, the agency also issued a public solicitation and posted procurement notices laying out the recommended buyer and the procedural steps toward a sale, records on BidNet show.
Replacement Housing Financed Elsewhere
Housing Alliance HTX told reporters that funds originally set aside to rehabilitate Forest Green were reallocated to support replacement units through a separate development. Project partners say financing has closed on a large mixed-income community in Independence Heights, and developer Columbia Residential reports that the Independence Heights project includes roughly 221 units and is slated for completion in November 2027.
What Comes Next For Neighbors And Former Tenants
If the sale closes in late May as expected, the new owner will control the site and can start the long process toward demolition and redevelopment. That kind of work typically stretches over months or years before any replacement homes show up on the ground, which is exactly what has nearby residents and former tenants pressing for answers.
Community advocates say they want a clear demolition timeline, specific promises about how many displaced households can return, and strong tenant protections during any rebuild. Housing Alliance HTX’s public materials state that the agency has pursued redevelopment strategies for the site while providing vouchers and relocation support to affected households, according to Housing Alliance HTX. Recent board documents further detail those relocation supports in connection with the broader Forest Green disposition, as outlined in the HHA board packet.
