Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Secures Over $10.8 Million for Community Projects Across Texas 29

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) proudly secured more than $10.8 million in Community Project Funding for Texas's 29th Congressional District in bipartisan appropriations legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The funding directs critical investments into Houston-area neighborhoods, strengthening public safety, expanding housing access, improving parks and community facilities, and supporting families, students, veterans, and seniors.

"These projects are about lifting up our neighborhoods and delivering the basics every family deserves: safe streets, strong schools, affordable housing, and community spaces people can be proud of," said Congresswoman Garcia. "This funding means real improvements people will see and feel in their daily lives. I fought hard to bring these dollars home because working families in our district shouldn't have to wait for Washington to notice them. This is about respect, opportunity, and making sure every part of our community has the tools to thrive. And I'm just getting started."

The projects include:

$1,200,000 for Mason Park Community Center Repairs and Improvements

This project will focus on the Community Center in Mason Park, providing positive youth developmental opportunities, senior and adult recreational and leisure programming, and pride in the beloved, historic community park.

$2,000,000 for Strengthening Houston Housing, Houston, Harris County, Texas

This project will strengthen housing needs screening, service referral, and affordability infrastructure for Houstonians, including seniors and veterans. The recipient is The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The Health Equity Collective (HEC) coalition in the Greater Houston region is currently working with its member organizations and Houston Housing Collaborative non-profit organizations to build and strengthen the capacity of healthcare and social services organizations to screen and coordinate care for housing needs and other non-medical drivers of health.

$1,200,000 for Veterans Memorial Park Improvements and Facility Development

This funding for Harris County Precinct 2 will help transform Veterans Memorial Park into a vibrant hub of community engagement and support. The addition of a community center will provide space for programs tailored to veterans' needs, including job training, financial literacy courses, and counseling. Residents in adjacent neighborhoods will have access to the space for various community-building programs, fostering inclusivity and strengthening bonds within the area. Planned amenities include safe paths for pedestrians and cyclists, a dog park, and pavilions for educational and entertainment events, all aimed at enhancing the park's utility for all visitors.

$850,000 for Worsham Elementary Safe Routes to Schools Infrastructure Improvements

This project will help install sidewalks along seven streets bordering Worsham Elementary School. These seven streets are Foy Lane, Hartwick Road, Castledale Road, Task Street, Fishel Street, Bertrand Street, and Shady Drive. Currently, these streets are two-lane asphalt roads with open ditches and no sidewalks, making it difficult to walk safely to local destinations - notably Worsham Elementary and the Halls Bayou trail.

$2,000,000 for Houston Land Bank Yellow Cab Site Redevelopment - Mixed-Income Housing and Community Revitalization

This project will support the transformation of a long-abandoned 6.3-acre brownfield in Houston's Near Northside into a mixed-use, mixed-income development that advances housing access, neighborhood revitalization, and economic self-reliance. The funding will deliver dozens of new affordable homes for working families earning between 50%-120% of Area Median Income (AMI), along with approximately 24,000 square feet of commercial space to support small businesses and community-serving services.

$850,000 for City of Pasadena Strawberry Park Improvements

Funding will be used to complete needed renovations at Strawberry Park in Pasadena. Strawberry Park's baseball fields are home to the Pasadena Pony League, in partnership with the City of Pasadena, providing great opportunities for hundreds of children each year to grow and improve through baseball.

$850,000 for U.S. Latino Digital Humanities Facility Infrastructure Development

This funding will support renovations of the space that will house the University of Houston's U.S. Latino Digital Humanities Center. The center will provide a bilingual communal research site available for both academic and public use, offer educational opportunities, and substantive community outreach programs to develop collaborative networks, partnerships, talks, workshops, reading, and research groups for general (K-12, community, academic) audiences.

$250,000 for East End Innovation Incubator Facility Development

This project will support the development of infrastructure for a community innovation incubator space that will provide a physical location for collaboration among University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) students, researchers, academics, and the surrounding community.

$250,000 for Facility for Addressing Community Food Security Needs in Gulfgate

Funding will support demolition, permitting, and construction costs for establishing the FoodRx facility at Harris Health's Gulfgate Health Center. Harris Health operates a unique food prescription program based on a holistic approach to improve the health of the community we serve. Harris Health's FoodRx program addresses health-related social needs, such as food insecurity, limited nutritional knowledge, and limited access to culinary education, that are prevalent among vulnerable populations.

$250,000 for Harrisburg Trail Improvements

This project will support safety upgrades at 24 intersections along the Harrisburg Trail. The proposed improvements are based on safety countermeasures developed by the Federal Highway Administration and include installing stop signs at intersections with local streets, Stop Ahead signs, Use Crosswalk signs, stop bars, high visibility crosswalks, raised crosswalks, street lighting and pedestrian lights

$250,000 for University of Texas Kitchen Construction and Equipment Acquisition

The funding will support renovations of a full kitchen and the purchase of refrigeration equipment for the University of Texas Health Science at Houston - School of Dentistry.

$850,000 for City of Houston East End Railway Improvement Project

This funding will help support the installation of railroad crossing gates, raised medians, sidewalks, traffic signs, and pavement markings for increased traffic and pedestrian safety in Houston's East End.

This bipartisan funding bill now moves to the Senate for its consideration.