In October, John Alschuler, a specialist in urban revitalization and a consultant on The Ion, the new name for the 16-acre innovation district in Midtown that will be anchored by the renovated former Sears, gave a lecture at Rice University.

According to Alschuler, the Ion promises to bring together large corporations in light-filled offices, coworking spaces for nimble startups, makerspaces and an amphitheater to hear the latest research. Shops and housing in historic and new architecture will open onto walkable streets — all to create the kind of environment that has spurred money-minting innovation in other cities.

He spoke broadly about the equity and access concerns of the project, pointing to the economic opportunities provided by the Ion. He expressed hope that low-income people in the area would benefit from these amenities. He made it clear that he was not in favor of the displacement of historic populations, but he did not see any issue in rising property values.

Though I take issue with that idea, I felt compelled to ask about the displacement of the homeless in Midtown that had already occurred. I mentioned that the only difference between the homeless already displaced and those renters and homeowners who are in danger of displacement in the future is their legal relationship to property, and I asked whether developers generally or those involved in The Ion, specifically, have a responsibility to mitigate this kind of displacement.

Alschuler answered that developers only have the responsibility to advocate for the homeless to the local government but that no advocacy had occurred so far with this project.

I am troubled by his response. I am troubled by the apparently narrow definition of harm to be mitigated, the trickle-down approach to equity and the understanding of civic responsibility evident in these answers. (Rice Management Company later provided a statement explaining its commitment to diversity and inclusion.)

I work three blocks from what was, until November 2, the encampment beneath U.S. 59 and a 10-minute walk from The Ion. I walk past, share the bus and rail with and otherwise interact with the homeless population in Midtown daily. Suddenly, a few months ago, fences went up around five lots at and around the intersection of Wheeler and Main Streets. These fenced-off areas represent the first of the eight parcels acquired by Rice for the innovation district. I saw dozens of people displaced from the homes they had made for themselves in the loading docks and covered areas of those buildings.

The properties designated for The Ion were some of the most highly frequented by Houston's homeless. This concentration is not by accident. Midtown, as the site of many resources for those who are homeless and low-income as well as the hub of low-cost transportation options, is a natural choice in a city as spread out as Houston. It is critically important for individuals without private means of transportation that meal centers, job resources, clinics, etc., are within walking distance. Places like the Beacon, SEARCH, The Montrose Center, Recenter Houston, VA McGovern Drop-in Center, Lord of the Streets, Career and Recovery Resources, Caroline Street Clinic, Bristow Center, Trinity Episcopal Church, The San Jose Clinic, the Houston Public Library, and many more are all in or easily accessible from Midtown. Inexpensive transportation to anywhere in the city by bus or rail is readily available. Most importantly, organizations serving the homeless, because of this existing concentration, know that they will be around and can minister to them.

It often takes weeks building a relationship of trust to convince someone to enter a housing or job program. New Hope Housing and other single-room occupancy (SRO) housing has created options for many homeless people, but there are some who are resistant to or even refuse to enter these programs. These people are not being asked to move from one piece of sidewalk to the next. They are being asked to move away, perhaps prohibitively so, from vital resources.

Developers are legally obligated to mitigate the loss of plant and wildlife habitats. The Houston Tree and Shrub Ordinance requires that developers protect certain trees and replace with comparable ones if the protected ones need to be removed. The Federal Clean Water Act provides similar protections for wetlands. No such protections exist, however, for human beings. Developers and property owners currently have no legal responsibility to consider the effects their projects have on people residing on the project site. These sites are habitats of necessity and living communities. If developers have no responsibility to those they displace, are we implying that those people are inherently less valuable than plant and animal life?

Alschuler mentioned that a large portion of the equity considerations in The Ion revolves around providing employment opportunities via the service industries predicted to populate the district and encouraging the growth of small tech start-ups, some of whom may be owned or run by people from the surrounding areas. Affordable housing concerns, Alschuler argues, are the city's responsibility.

His only mention of the Fiesta Mart, one block over, was that no one would miss the architecture of the building. These comments further displayed his lack of understanding as to how the community functions. There was no discussion about how the loss of the Fiesta would create a food desert — the next-nearest grocery stores are a mile and a half away. The Fiesta not only provides reliable access to affordable food, but it also serves as a center of cultural life — a social condenser (in the words of Rem Koolhaas) that brings together different demographics in a shared environment — even if it is one that is less aesthetically inspiring than some elites may like.

I wonder whether the people in the area have time to wait for the effects of this trickle-down approach to equity. Much of the site is fenced-off now. According to Alschuler, the job opportunities will not appear until 10 or 12 years from now. These vague and limited employment opportunities do not take into account that physical disruption has already occurred. For those truly without financial resources, physical disturbance is exponentially more dangerous. There is no safety net to lean on for a few months. Additionally, will these jobs be open to the people most in need? Do applicants need degrees? Addresses? Clean criminal records?

We heard repeatedly that Rice has the responsibility to prove that longer-term architectural and urban planning projects are worth the investment and to lead by example in restoring buildings with historic importance. In contrast, the human costs (displacement of the homeless, rising cost of living, an expanded food desert) are the responsibility of the City of Houston. It seems to me that, even with a concerted effort on Rice's part to advocate for those negatively impacted by The Ion, the predictable municipal hurdles of budgetary restraints, lack of political will and bureaucracy will inevitably stand in the way. These obstacles reintroduce the issue of time: When can we expect to see action?

As an innovation district — not as a general campus development project — it is in Rice's best interest to lead the way in compassionate long-term solutions. If Rice intends to continue positioning itself as a leader in equitable urban development and creative thinking, it has an obligation to act. No one expects Rice to let the properties lie fallow as encampments for the homeless, but what is expected is a plan for taking responsibility of the unintended consequences of the project.

Rice hosts charrettes and design contests frequently — why not invite thinkers of various disciplines to work on an affordable mitigation effort? Why not center the problem of homelessness or low-income demographics in initial projects? Rice could partner with the city and county to help spend the $2.3 billion in post-Harvey Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds on affordable housing or work on creating "workforce" housing for people who are overqualified for affordable housing but still cannot afford a home. The crisis of homelessness in Houston might only escalate as we face weather events in increasing number and severity and as we witness drug epidemics and mental health crises ravage our communities. As the city, developers and major institutions plan the redevelopment of large swaths of the city, will this crisis be addressed or kicked down the road?

While there may be plans that Alschuler did not or was not able to mention during his lecture, I write this as a call to the administrators, planners and designers of The Ion to explain to the public the proposals for the mitigation of displacement, if they exist, or even to acknowledge that the issue exists. Innovation at its core is about increasing quality of life. Let's make sure that extends to all Houstonians.

Sophie Asakura is Assistant Curator at Station Museum of Contemporary Art.

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