In January 2013, OST/South Union was designated a GO Neighborhood by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). GO Neighborhoods is a multi-year, comprehensive initiative that focuses on community revitalization by addressing the many aspects of developing a sustainable community – a great place to work, live, and raise a family. Neighborhood Recovery Community Development Corporation (NRCDC) is the convening agency for OST/South Union GO Neighborhood. Leaders of the Southeast Houston Transformation Alliance (SEHTA) and other stakeholders make up the Steering Committee that leads our efforts to transform OST/South Union into a healthy, safe, vibrant, and economically stable community.
Our community revitalization work has been recognized locally and nationally. We were named Neighborhood of the Year by Neighborhoods USA (NUSA), a national organization committed to building and strengthening neighborhood organizations. We have received multiple awards from Keep Houston Beautiful, including Mayor’s Proud Partners Distinguished Neighborhood, for various community improvement and beautification projects.
OST/South Union Health Improvement Partnership (OHIP) is a GO Neighborhood program that energizes residents and community partners to work collaboratively and leverage resources to implement evidence-based programs and services that address multiple determinants of health in OST/South Union. This work is done through three activation teams which are comprised of members of the following GO Teams. (OHIP coalition meeting photo see NRCDC website on Vista)
GO Teams Led by residents and other stakeholders, GO Teams are the backbone of our GO Neighborhood, leading the way by planning and implementing community activities, events, and major revitalization efforts.
Arts, History, Culture and Media GO Team is focused on preserving the neighborhood’s rich culture, both past and present, through oral histories, visual and performing arts, cultural exhibitions, social and print media. Members of the OST/South Union Youth Council recently engaged in a service-learning project called “We R OST” which was inspired by the “From A Space To A Place” and “Open the Door” programs and developed in partnership with Agape Development, Southeast Houston Transformation Alliance (SEHTA) and the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts. Students sought to inspire community building by sharing residents’ stories through arts and culture and determined that creating art installations in various locations of the neighborhood with the support of established local artists to narrate their stories would bring positive messages to all. Their installation was comprised of 10 doors, each one representing a resident who inspires hope and vibrancy. The project was funded by a grant from State Farm and a grant from the Wortham Foundation submitted by the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts, as well as ongoing support from Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).
2. Economic Development/Family Income and Wealth GO Team
Economic Development/Family Income and Wealth GO Team has a vision of growing local businesses and sparking economic development and investment in the neighborhood. Through job creation and giving neighbors tools to make smart financial choices, we have nurtured local family-owned small businesses such as MixIt Cakes, a catering company located in OST/South Union, to thrive.
Education and Youth GO Team supports our neighborhood schools and youth through mentoring, literacy, leadership, and overall well-being. Projects have included support for the revitalization of the Hartsfield Elementary SPARK Park, which included a remake of the track, new play structures, and an accessible pedestrian entry gate. Agape Development, H-E-B and Rice Center for Civic Leadership provided facilities, funding and staffing for OST/South Union Youth Council. Partnering with the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts with funding from State Farm’s Youth Advisory Board, “We R OST” is a service-learning project to inspire community building by sharing residents’ stories through the creation of art installations placed in locations throughout the neighborhood that inspire residents with positive message. We also partnered with CAN-DO Houston for Leadership and Advocacy Training for Youth Council members to escalate their “Break the Silence” campaign to raise awareness about decreasing gun violence in the neighborhood.
Health & Wellness GO Team personifies the belief that physical and mental well-being are the keys to a thriving community. Their goals align with OHIP’s health improvement strategies and mission to “use our physical and spiritual resources to care for one another so we can impact the hearts and health of our community.” The team leads the charge for many of OHIP’s health improvement interventions such as the Backyard Garden Program funded by The Garden Clubs of Houston, Walk 4 Life walking club, Mental Health First Aid training, Palm Center Farmers’ Market, Palm Center Community Garden, Gardening 101 monthly classes, Urban Gardening Certificate Program, and healthy cooking demonstrations. Funding from Episcopal Health Foundation supports Health & Wellness GO Team projects and accelerates OHIP’s vision to care for our community’s physical and mental well-being.
Housing GO Team is dedicated to protecting OST/South Union residents from displacement through gentrification while improving the neighborhood with the addition of housing that meets the diverse needs of residents, including affordable and workforce housing. The team educates new and aspiring homeowners through workshops about home ownership and offers a Senior Security Series that informs residents about scams and fraud that target seniors. Asset protection and preservation are key components of the information and support offered by this GO Team.
Leadership and Civic Engagement GO Team facilitates opportunities for connecting people, cultivating lives, and activating abilities for advocacy and shared leadership among neighbors. Our relationship with LISC gives resident leaders and stakeholders of OST/South Union access to leadership development training, technical assistance and capacity building resources. Classes such as LISC’s Training for Trainers are for emerging and seasoned leaders who are interested in training others in their communities. Through NeighborWorks training, our resident leaders hone skills and opportunities to gain professional certificates in areas such as Community Engagement, Affordable Housing, Community and Neighborhood Revitalization, and several other topics. We believe leaders exist across generations so we have a Youth Council that is learning how to advocate for themselves and the neighborhood.
Safety and Cleanup GO Team encourages residents to build pride in the neighborhood by promoting safety through beautification, trash cleanups, and crime prevention initiatives such as Block Captain Programs and mitigation of blighted property. Every year in April, this team spearheads the annual Keep Houston Beautiful/Rock the Block cleanup in partnership with the University of Houston Metropolitan Volunteer Program. The numbers for our 2018 cleanup effort include more than 400 volunteers who picked up about 800 bags of trash and 300 tires over a 50-block area of OST/South Union. Our community revitalization work has been recognized locally and nationally. We were named a Neighborhood of the Year by Neighborhoods USA (NUSA), a national organization committed to building and strengthening neighborhood organizations. We have received multiple awards from Keep Houston Beautiful, including Mayor’s Proud Partners Distinguished Neighborhood, for various community enhancement projects.
The team’s Community Safety Initiative: Helping Our Own Development (“CSI: HOOD”) brought together residents, organizations and government institutions to take action on removing a dilapidated and abandoned house in OST/South Union where criminal activity was rampant. After the property was reclaimed and cleaned up, residents and volunteers from around the country came together to build Restoration Community Park on the property, which now serves as a meeting place for residents to gather for events and parties.
We also initiated purple picnic tables and chairs in front yards to encourage community engagement and eyes on the street to deter crime. Our youth spearheaded a rally against gun violence in the neighborhood.
8. Strollin’ & Rollin’ (pedestrians, bike and transit riders) GO Team
Strollin’ & Rollin’ GO Team is committed to increasing physical activity among our residents by 1) improving infrastructure so our streets will be safe for walking and biking and 2) connecting OST/South Union to other area destinations with walking and bike trails.
The team is part of a coalition that developed the Houston Southeast Neighborhood Greenways Project, which provides planning and conceptual designs for an enhanced bicycle and pedestrian path connecting Palm Center and MacGregor Park. As part of this effort, the team conducted research and developed a Mobility Report that looked at how residents get around OST/South Union and identified barriers to active transportation and recreation. The Mobility Report was adopted by the City of Houston Bike Plan. Houston Southeast Management District provided funds for engineering design and construction drawings for a portion of the Neighborhood Greenway.
Health & Wellness GO Team personifies the belief that physical and mental well-being are the keys to a thriving community. Their goals align with OHIP’s health improvement strategies and mission to “use our physical and spiritual resources to care for one another so we can impact the hearts and health of our community.” The team leads the charge for many of OHIP’s health improvement interventions such as the Backyard Garden Program funded by The Garden Clubs of Houston, Walk 4 Life walking club, Mental Health First Aid training, Palm Center Farmers’ Market, Palm Center Community Garden, Gardening 101 monthly classes, Urban Gardening Certificate Program, and healthy cooking demonstrations. Funding from Episcopal Health Foundation supports Health & Wellness GO Team projects and accelerates OHIP’s vision to care for our community’s physical and mental well-being. 
Safety and Cleanup GO Team encourages residents to build pride in the neighborhood by promoting safety through beautification, trash cleanups, and crime prevention initiatives such as Block Captain Programs and mitigation of blighted property. 
Strollin’ & Rollin’ GO Team is committed to increasing physical activity among our residents by 1) improving infrastructure so our streets will be safe for walking and biking and 2) connecting OST/South Union to other area destinations with walking and bike trails.