Greater Third Ward

The Third Ward area is a success story in the making, of how a neighborhood can reach a high, then a terrible low, and eventually another high with room to grow.

This area was once a predominately African American neighborhood, with many working class families settling down in the area. The area enjoyed many cultural and educational opportunities, such as the El Dorado Ballroom and Texas Southern University. Eventually, the neighborhood changed for the worse. Coupled with falling home prices and high instances of crime, many people moved away from the area, taking businesses and home values with them. Unsavory developers began buying parcels of land here and built shoddy homes designed for low income residents. Unfortunately, the new residents to the neighborhood were not the greatest of people, and the area became a dangerous and crime ridden place to live.

Eventually, the community banded together, and made the landlords and property owners take resposibility for the conditions that many residents were living in. The bad people were slowly replaced with good people, and the neighborhood began its upswing. Blighted homes and apartments were torn down to make way for lofts and new middle income apartment complexes.

Many of the old residents still make Third Ward their home. Families, businesses, property owners and renters are finding that the area is an excellent place to both live and work. Rent is beginning to become more and more expensive, but there are still deals to be had. There are still pockets of crime, but not nearly as bad as rumors will tell you. Police presence is strong, as is the community. The area is still predominantly African American, but people of all races, faiths and nationalities call Third Ward home.