After criticism for how it has handled affordable housing, the city is trying to change how it’s doing things.

Mayor Sylvester Turner joined developers and housing department officials for the groundbreaking of new single-family homes in Acres Homes.

It's the start of the city's New Home Development Program. The goal is for the city to build 20 homes per month for low- to moderate-income families.

The director of the city's housing department, Tom McCasland, acknowledged affordable housing wasn't handled properly in the past. Now, he said, the city has more control over it.

"It's getting the structure right, that's the first one," he said. "And then making sure that the reimbursement is right, so that as we move forward, we can exercise the right kind of fiscal controls over the funding that we're provided."

The homes under this program are funded by federal grants and local tax reinvestment funds.

Subscribe to Today in Houston Fill out the form below to subscribe our new daily editorial newsletter from the HPM Newsroom. Email* First Name Last Name * required