Tax Credit Program Highlight: 910 Renner Court

History

Built in the 1890s, the house at 910 Renner was previously a stand-alone property fronting to the east, but due to street closures and redevelopment, it no longer has street access. It is now the rear house on a two-house lot fronting on Sabine Street to the west, with the front door reoriented and now accessed behind the house at 908 Sabine. Both single-story cottages contribute to the Old Sixth Ward historic district in Houston, Texas. Originally the northern-most section of the Fourth Ward district, city officials designated the Old Sixth Ward district on January 1, 1877 as an influx of German immigrants and railroad workers continued to pour into the area, boosting the population. Architecturally, the historic district remains the oldest intact neighborhood in the city of Houston and has the second-largest concentration of Victorian-era structures in the region.

Rehabilitation Project

This conservative rehabilitation project brought a poorly-maintained rental house back to a useful state by providing general repairs and upgrades. The work was done in coordination with the project at the other house on the lot, 908 Sabine. Both properties had worn and gouged hardwood floors, which were overlaid with new wood; highly damaged wood doors and windows, which were repaired or replaced in kind when unsalvageable; and modest kitchens and baths that were in poor condition, which were completely renovated with all new fixtures in their original footprints. Systems including HVAC were replaced, and the houses received siding repairs and fresh coats of paint both inside and out.