Brays Crossing shatters the stereotype of low-income, single-room-occupancy (SRO) housing, proving that it can be both visually attractive and affordable and built debt-free and without government subsidy. Developed by New Hope Housing, a Houston-based nonprofit, the community features 149 SRO units along with community space and on-site social services, in seven brightly colored buildings that were formerly a dilapidated and blighted motel. The project is clad with a colorful steel mural that attenuates sound from the nearby highway, a functional solution that extends the rich mural tradition of Houston’s East End neighborhood.

Brays Crossing is the fifth project in Houston developed by New Hope Housing, an independent nonprofit founded in 1993 that is dedicated to providing stabilized housing for single adults living on limited incomes. New Hope Housing developed Houston’s first SRO, the Hamilton Street Residences, in 1995 and has provided more than 4,000 individuals — many of whom ultimately transition to traditional housing — with high-quality, supportive housing, helping alleviate homelessness in Houston.

Developer/Owner
New Hope Housing, Inc.
Houston, TX

Architect
Glassman Shoemake Maldonado Architects
Houston, TX

Website
www.newhopehousing.com/brayscrossing

Principal Author(s)
Theodore Thoerig, Adrienne Schmitz, Annie Finkenbinder-Best

ULI Awards for Excellence 2011 Winner