'Greener Gulfton' plan to bring green space to one of Houston’s warmest neighborhoods

Gulfton is the most densely populated neighborhood in Houston and has some of the least green space in the city.

Greener Gulfton is a community master plan designed to enhance environmental and climate resilience as well as provide more parks and trees to the area. The official plan for the neighborhood has not been released, but an announcement of its completion was made by urban design firm Asakura Robinson in August.

“When you see our children playing outside ... they’re playing in the parking lot,” Gulfton Super Neighborhood President Sandra Rodriguez said in an Oct. 4 video announcing the plan.

According to a 2018 report by Houston Complete Communities, only 40% of Gulfton residents live within a 10-minute walking distance of a park, 7% lower than the city average.

Gulfton is also among Houston’s hottest neighborhoods; the numerous apartment complexes, wide parking lot surfaces and lacking vegetation creates a warm spot compared to neighboring communities, according to a 2020 report by Heat Watch.

“Having a greener neighborhood, a greener Gulfton, creates a healthier environment for communities to thrive,” Rodriguez said.