Settegast, Houston

Settegast was first developed in 1892 by German immigrants William J and Julius J. Settegast, who had become interested in land speculation back in 1872.[7]

Settegast was further developed as a planned community in the 1940s, had streets and lots that were platted during the same decade.[8] Settegast was settled by African Americans seeking land in the northeast side of Houston.[5]

The City of Houston annexed Settegast in 1949 and began providing sewer trunk lines in 1965.[9]

In 1966 the H-HCEOO (Houston-Harris County Economic Opportunity Organization) conducted a survey of the Settegast neighborhood termed "The Settegast Report" which was conducted to, "gain a better understanding of the problems and issues in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods," (pgs 125-126).[10]

Surveyors found, "even though 80 percent of respondents in Settegast owned their home, 'the term ownership must be used in the loosest possible sense...[because] contracts for deed were designed in such a way that borrowers found it impossible to reach the agreed upon amount because of a multitude of hidden fees and exorbitant finance charges," (pg. 127).[11]

Surveyors found that streamlined sanitation was non existent as, "70 percent of residents received their water from shallow wells that were often contaminated from septic tanks and sewage backups from outhouses," (pg. 128, ibid). After neighbors found that contaminated well water was being sold to residents, residents, "went to City Hall and demanded a city water supply to replace their contaminated one," (pg. 132).[12]

Similarly, surveyor's found Settegast was a food desert and that two-thirds of the population did not have a high school education, (pg. 128).[13]

According to Wesley G. Phelps book A People's War on Poverty: Urban Politics and Grassroots Activists in Houston an arsonists set fire to the H-HCEOO community center in Settegast on January 17, 1967, moreover, "two thousand completed voter registration forms that had yet to be turned over to the tax assessor-collector," (pg. 93).

In 1967 a deputy constable ordered a pregnant resident out of her home due to an eviction order, which the resident claimed the deputy constable, "shoved, cursed, and handcuffed' her and 'unfairly booked [her] for aggravated assault'" (A People's War on Poverty: Urban Politics and Grassroots Activists in Houston, pg. 152).

Two thousand Settegast residents joined at a local Baptist church and signed a petition, "calling for the immediate dismissal of the said deputy constable," (A People's War on Poverty: Urban Politics and Grassroots Activists in Houston, pg. 152).

The deputy constable was not dismissed though a protest had happened as a response to the resident's eviction, (A People's War on Poverty: Urban Politics and Grassroots Activists in Houston, pg. 154).

When Mayor Welch and Congressman Bush, "erroneously charged H-HCEOO with using federal funds to stage the protest, the local newspaper repeated the charge and provoked a firestorm of criticism aimed at the organization...[which made] Settegast suff[er] a major setback," (A People's War on Poverty: Urban Politics and Grassroots Activists in Houston, pg. 154-155).

"In the wake of the demonstration at City Hall against the treatment of Betty Gentry, members of the Settegast Civic Club, an organization that had existed longer than the poverty program and included several business and religious leaders, expressed fear that protest activity in Settegast was going too far and Earl Allen and his staff were encouraging violence," (A People's War on Poverty: Urban Politics and Grassroots Activists in Houston, pg. 156).

Settegast is bounded to the south by the 610 Loop and the Beaumont Freeway, and to the west by a Union Pacific Railroad switching yard.[6]

Rafael Longoria and Susan Rogers of the Rice Design Alliance said that Settegast could be described as "rurban," a word coined in 1918 which describes an area with a mix of urban and rural characteristics.[14] Longoria and Rogers said that the original frame houses, described by the two as "modest," are "sparsely" distributed throughout Settegast. As of 2008 much of the area remained undeveloped, and guinea hens and horses graze on the open fields.[8] Many churches are located in the neighborhood; as of 2008 there is one church per 60 residents.[15]

Union Pacific operates the Settegast Yard, an intermodal terminal.[16] The large terminal bounds Settegast to the west.[5]

Settegast is in Houston City Council District B.[17]

The Harris County Hospital District operates the Settegast Health Center.[18] The center opened on January 28, 1967.[19] The commissioner that represents Settegast is Rodney Ellis, Precinct One Commissioner,[20] while Jerry Davis serves as Settegast's council member, District B.[21] Settegast is also a Super Neighborhood and has merged with East Houston, Super Neighborhood #49.[22]

Settegast is under Texas House 142,[23] and is represented by Harold V. Dutton Jr., a native of Fifth Ward.

Sherman Eagleton is the constable for Settegast (Precinct 3).[24]

The area is within the Houston Independent School District. Residents are zoned to Bennie Carl Elmore Elementary School,[25][26] Key Middle School,[27] and Kashmere High School.[28]

Elmore Elementary School has thirty-nine teachers with an average of four years experience, also the school has all four performance index indicators with one distinction designator, "Top 25% Student Progress."[29]

Key Middle School has forty-five teachers with an average of three years of experience, also the school has three-out-of-four performance index indicators with no distinction designators.[30]

Kashmere High School has thirty-nine teachers with an average of nine years, also the school has two-out-of-four performance index indicators with no distinction designators.[31]

The City of Houston operates the Settegast Park.[39]

The Northeast Family YMCA serves residents of Settegast.[40]

The former Lakewood Church is in the northeast portion of Settegast.[6] It was established in a converted feed store. On July 16, 2005, the church moved into the former Houston Summit.[41]

According to the EPA's ECHO, McCarty Road Landfill Gas Recovery Facility (located on 9416 Ley, Houston, TX 77078) has a compliance status of "High Priority Violation" owing $27,282 in penalties.[42]

Similarly, EPA's ECHO found The Queen Ready Mix (located on 8702 Liberty RD, Houston TX 77028) has a compliance status of "Significant Noncompliance".[43]

Also, EPA'S ECHO found Magellan East Houston Terminal (located on 7901 Wallisville RD, Houston TX 77029) has a compliance status of "Significant Noncompliance".[44] Magellan has shown positive growth in VOC emissions, measured in pounds per year (2008/65,829; 2011/138,238.40; 2014/167,801.20).[45]

• History of the African-Americans in Houston

• Settegast - Houston HOPE
• B.C. Elmore Elementary School
• B.C. Elmore Middle School (North Forest website)