The History of Acres Homes, Houston’s Historic Community

Acres Homes may have started in 1910, but municipal services, like sewers, modern roads and reliable fire services, didn’t come into operation until the mid-1970s.

The region’s first settlers, almost exclusively African-American families, came to seek their share of the American dream.

Acres Homes has been alternately called “Acre Homes” and “Acreage Homes”. This presented a rare opportunity for African American families to own significant acreage.

Before the area was annexed in stages by the city of Houston, Acres Homes was considered one of the largest, if not the largest, African American communities in the United States.

The city of Houston annexed the area in pieces beginning in the 1960s.

“In the Old West, the streets weren’t paved,” said Charles Ingram, a longtime resident and advocate for the area.

Ingram is a difference maker for Acres Homes and is president of the Acres Homes Citizens Council, an umbrella of 17 area civic groups.

“If there’s a street light in one part of the city, there should be a street light in the other part of the city,” Ingram said.

Longtime residents appear united in the belief that the area remains underserved.

Major retailers and mainstream grocery stores still haven’t set up shop in Acres Homes, even though nearly 30,000 people call these nine square miles, northwest of Houston, home.

“I understand that they are doing what they are supposed to do in white areas. But in black areas, there is always a gap. I can’t clean my ditch,” said resident Carol Wilson.

According to city census data, Acres Homes is slightly older than Houston as a whole, with a larger portion of the population in the 65 and older category.

About 14% of residents fall into this category, compared to the city average of 10%.

Acres Homes also remains well below the city average in terms of income, with 39% of residents reporting an individual income of less than $25,000, compared to the city average of 24%.

Charles Ingram is doing his best to improve this measure as well as the education deficit in the region.

Ingram dedicated a significant portion of his savings to create an endowment fund for the education of the next generation of Acres Homes.

“I want them to know who they are, where they come from and where they can go,” Ingram said.