Southwest Houston is a region in Houston, Texas, United States. The area is considered to be from Texas State Highway 6, south of Westpark Tollway to north of U.S. Route 90.
Many Section 8 (housing) complexes are located in Southwest Houston.Turner, Allan. "Evacuees landed in high-crime ZIP codes." Houston Chronicle. Friday January 20, 2006. Retrieved on October 18, 2011. Hurricane Katrina refugees came to the area in 2005." A Little About HFD Fire District 68," Houston Fire Department District 68
The Houston Metropolitan Chamber, formerly the Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce, serves several neighborhoods often identified as "Southwest Houston.""Houston Chamber Re-Invents Itself after 61 years with a New Image" (Archive). Houston Metropolitan Chamber. January 7, 2011. Retrieved on April 23, 2014.
History From the 1980 U.S. Census to the 1990 Census, many African-Americans left traditional African-American neighborhoods and entered parts of Southwest Houston; areas of Southwest Houston received from more than 1,000 African-Americans per square mile to more than 3,500 African-Americans per square mile. Many African Americans in the U.S are also moving to Southwest Houston in the New Great Migration. Many Asian-Americans moved into Southwest Houston during the same period. They were mostly Chinese American, Indian American, and Pakistani American; some pockets of Cambodian Americans, Filipino Americans, Korean Americans, and Vietnamese Americans appeared during that period.Rodriguez, Lori. "Census tracks rapid growth of suburbia." Houston Chronicle. Sunday March 10, 1991. Section A, SOUTH WEST HOUSTON GULFTON. Retrieved on October 18, 2011. Southwest Houston area contains one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the Southern United States.
On May 31, 2013, the Houston Fire Department suffered its largest casualty in a single event, the Southwest Inn fire, with four firefighters killed and 13 others were injured while fighting a 5-alarm fire at Southwest Inn, located in the Greater Sharpstown district of Southwest Houston."Contact." () Southwest Inn. Retrieved on June 6, 2013."Map Major Roads." () Greater Sharpstown Management District. Retrieved on August 15, 2009.
Neighborhoods and communities considered to be in Southwest Houston Neighborhoods and communities in Houston defined as Southwest Houston by the Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce : Braeswood/Stella Link Central Southwest Fondren Southwest Greenway Plaza Gulfton Meyerland/South Post Oak Reliant Park/South Loop Rice Village/Texas Medical Center Sharpstown Uptown
Cities defined by the Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce as in "Southwest Houston": Bellaire Southside Place West University Place
Other neighborhoods and communities in Houston considered to be in Southwest Houston: Alief"Super Neighborhood #25 - Alief". City of Houston. nd. Retrieved July 1, 2011. Westheimer, Houston South Main, Houston Energy Corridor Other neighborhoods and communities outside of Houston considered to be in Southwest Houston Brazoria County: Lakes of Savannah : The website refers to the community as in "Southwest Houston"Home Page. Lakes of Savannah. Accessed November 2, 2008.
Economy
The corporate office for Rice Epicurean Markets is located on a lot in Southwest Houston."Rice Epicurean Store Locations." Rice Epicurean Markets. Retrieved on December 13, 2008. Rice established its headquarters there in 1960, and the current headquarters facilities opened on that land in 2005. Walmart and other smaller grocery stores were observed including gas stations. Many Non industrial business ventures were observed with few industrial and factory businesses. The small business owners consist of average size employees. Most people work in the community."Rice Epicurean Markets Opens New Headquarters." Progressive Grocer, VNU Business Media, Inc. Friday February 11, 2005. Retrieved on January 28, 2010.
Education
Some areas in Southwest Houston are within the Houston Independent School District. Some areas are in the Alief Independent School District. The Imani School is in Southwest Houston.Karkabi, Barbara. "New and notable." Houston Chronicle. Friday, February 27, 2009. Retrieved on October 18, 2011. "[...]The Imani School, a Christian school in southwest Houston,[...]"
Notable residents M.J. Khan (former Houston City Council member)Snyder, Mike. "Green edges Khan in controller runoff." Houston Chronicle. December 12, 2009. Retrieved on May 26, 2014. Maxo Kream (American hip hop artist)
References
External links
Houston Metropolitan Chamber Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce (Archive)