HOUSTON – A Houston-based community revitalization program is helping seniors in the historic Third Ward make needed repairs to stay in their homes.
Mary Banks began dancing for joy Thursday when Rebuilding Together Houston (RTH), HP and other partners helped her revitalize her again home.
The 76-year-old lives in a home on Beulah Street in Third Ward that was built in 1936. It’s a home where she raised her children and shared many memories with her late husband, Edward Banks, who was dubbed the honorary mayor of their ward.
”Anybody could come by for something and he was always there,” Banks said.
Edward passed in 2018. Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz said the work Ed did for the community came back two-fold to his wife. Mary’s home was selected as the first home in the Third Ward for RTH’s community revitalization program.
”I’m going to say that it’s fitting Mrs. Banks was the first recipient of this wonderful goodwill,” Evans-Shabazz said. “They, together, did phenomenal things for the community.”
Mrs. Banks said because of her age and lack of finances, she could no longer make repairs to her home. On Thursday, RTH, HP and various volunteers and community partners painted her home. Mrs. Banks also had her house leveled, reworked and even received a new laptop and technology for her home.
RTH has helped revitalize more than 100 homes since launching the program in 2018. While Mrs. Banks is the first home in her community selected for the program, RTH said they plan to help more seniors in the Third Ward who are struggling to repair their homes and preserve them for future generations.
”Whether they repaired it or not, I was gonna stay here anyway baby,” Mrs. Banks said. “But by them repairing it, it made it better for me to live and have to worry about raising money.”
Banks said she’s grateful she can continue to live in the house and community she so deeply loves.