Victoria Courts - Victoria Commons

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by debiSA

sad that nis o one cares or kIt nows the answer to your question. I lived there until I was 13- about three years before the demolition. It was on the news that an elderly women held out from moving out. Why? Because she knew the injustice of it all. The land that once was used to give poor people the basic human right of housing, would be used for private profit. Many of the Victoria courts residents had to move to the fringes the city or forced to live in areas with high crime rate or worse fell the cracks and became homeless and a one lady I knew personally, grew despondent and committed suicide with the state collecting her children- atleast they would have a home. The neighborhood association/home owners association in this area were pushing for the demolition because they wanted to gentrify this area. And the city wanted to get rid of the eyesore close to downtown that made the tourists feel unsafe when visiting the institute of texasn cultures or the hemisfair park. The Refugio Place apartments that replaced the courts had to participate for a length of time in allowing 20% percent of it's unit to be affordable through section 8 vouchers or tax credit rent rates. From what I know, being a resident here- there is blatant descrimination towards the low income residents by the more affluent and all kinds of rules are passed to keep the market rate residents happy. For instance, children are not allowed to run and play in the courtyard and only the market rate residents are allowed access to the gate codes while the section 8 people must rely on the one key they are issued for a family of up to five to open gates. Also, the maintainence people take weeks to repair things for the secton 8 families. In short- the Victoria courts residents were just put out of sight and out of mind so the the housing authority and contracting corporations could profit at the expense of the most vulnerable people in society.

When did everything become a right? The right to housing? Seriously? Your rights begin where mine end.

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by skeet09

I like the idea of mixed communities you mentioned in #3 dvlpr; I think its great to have people from different backgrounds living in the same neighborhood, it gives a chance for everyone to learn from one another.

I hope the 09 doesn't refer to the area you live in...

[Rube123]

i was born in the vc in 1955 ,, i remember the good and bad,, i remember we had a cub scout that abuse some of the kids maybe from 1960 to 1966 ,, anybody remeber this,, i know he went to prison ,, just cant remember his name,,, anybody??? meeting were at a house between labor and mc monigal ,, anybody???

[Rube123]

in 1960 a lot of older adults lived there,, nice yards thinking it was a retirement center,, i remember sanches lil store off labor ,, i loved that man,, always good for a sandwich

[Hopeful for Life]

Originally Posted by Schaertl

When Victoria Courts was demolished, about how many people lived there and where were they relocated?

Where were these located and when were they demolished?

[Rube123]

what was the name of the street between mc monigal and labor?? santa clara??