[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 10, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H8194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE POWER CENTER AND PYRAMID COMMUNITY 
                        DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I come today to honor the 
wonderful work of a premier facility in Houston, Texas. This facility 
is known as the Power Center. It will be celebrating its 10th 
Anniversary this week.
  Mr. Speaker, the Power Center is a center of commerce and part of a 
community's revitalization. Through its creation and ongoing success 
the people of Harris County and Houston are able to not only see but 
also to be a part of what happens when a community comes together. One 
of the leaders of this great success that I wish to pay tribute to 
today is Reverend Kirbyjon Caldwell of the Pyramid Community 
Development Corporation.
  It was the Pyramid Community Development Corporation, under Reverend 
Caldwell's leadership that gave life to the Power Center. What were 
once a vacant lot and a decaying former Kmart retail store is now a 
vital and valuable part of the Harris County-Houston community. The 
Power Center has led to the conservation and redevelopment in an area 
of southwest Houston and surrounding neighborhoods by improving housing 
conditions; assisting minorities, disadvantaged, and low income 
families to obtain home ownership. The Power Center has also provided 
other important public services to its neighbors and to the people of 
Houston.
  Mr. Speaker, having hosted a very successful homeownership fair in my 
district, at which there were thousands of attendees, I am honored to 
have this opportunity to recognize an organization that understands the 
importance of that part of the American dream. The homeownership fair 
that I speak of, held in the 18th Congressional District of Texas, was 
sponsored in part by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the 
Houston Real Estate Association. It was part of an ongoing effort 
entitled, ``With Ownership, comes Wealth'' (also known as WOW) of which 
I am a true proponent. Mr. Speaker, WOW is an important initiative from 
which I believe many people can benefit; individuals, families, and 
communities.

  Currently, African Americans are underrepresented in homeownership 
rates. Forty-six percent of African Americans own their homes, compared 
to 67 percent of the Nation as a whole. Furthermore, in the state of 
Texas, the homeownership rate is only 63.8 percent. Unfortunately, in 
the 18th District, the homeownership rate is even lower at 55.3 
percent. That is 8.5 points behind the state average and nearly 11 
points behind the national average.
  We have quite a bit of catching up to do. In fact, of the homes owned 
in the Houston area, only 13.2 percent of them have African American 
owners, and 5.1 percent have Hispanic owners. That is a terrible 
disparity and it must change. The WOW initiative and the homeownership 
fair are wonderful agents to accomplish that change. The Power Center 
through Pyramid Community Development Corporation and the development 
of Corinthian Pointe, Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, and the Windsor Village 
United Methodist Church are also agents of change committed to 
increasing homeownership in the Southwest Houston community.
  Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell has facilitated the creation of the Power 
Center and the revitalization of a community with the help of that 
community and of many individuals. I would like to thank just a few of 
those individuals at this time. Particularly, I want to recognize 
Suzette Caldwell, the wife and partner of Reverend Caldwell, Ginger and 
Jack Blanton, Deborah and Gardner Cannon, and Nancy and Rich Kinder. I 
also want to thank Audrey and Rev. Bill Lawson, Beth and Charles 
Miller, and Beckie and Gasper Mir for all of their hard work. In 
addition, Bobbie and John Nau, Katie and Patrick Oxford, Anita and 
Gerald Smith, Rosie Zamora and Kay and Fred Zeidman and the dynamic 
Board of Directors deserve our thanks for the work they have done to 
strengthen the Power Center and the Pyramid Community Development 
Corporation. Mr. Speaker, there are countless others who were it not 
for their dedication and direction, we would not be celebrating such a 
joyous 10th anniversary of Houston's Power Center, and I want to thank 
them also.
  With that, I say congratulations to the Power Center, to its 
leadership and to the community that it serves. We offer our respect 
and thanks for all that you do to provide an improved quality of life 
for all Houstonians.

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