Month: March 2026

By Francis Page Jr

Click here for updates on this story

    March 23, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — On a brisk March morning, Houston’s housing story unfolded not in a boardroom—but on a moving bus. Led by the visionary team at the Houston Community Land Trust (HCLT), community leaders, media voices, and advocates embarked on a powerful, eye-opening tour through the city’s most dynamic—and vulnerable—neighborhoods.

From the historic streets of Third Ward to the evolving landscapes of Wayside Village, Acres Homes, and Freedmen’s Town, one message echoed loud and clear: Houston’s future depends on who gets to stay.

A New Model for a Growing City

Founded in 2018, HCLT is redefining what affordable housing looks like in one of America’s fastest-growing cities. Their approach is both simple and revolutionary—keep land in community control to ensure homes remain affordable forever, not just temporarily.

Executive Director Dr. Ashley Allen summed it up best: preserving “place, space, and price” isn’t just policy—it’s purpose.

And the numbers speak volumes. With more than 200 homeowners already supported, and millions in philanthropic backing—including a transformative $5 million gift from MacKenzie Scott—HCLT is proving that affordability and dignity can coexist.

The Reality on the Ground

As the bus rolled through Third Ward, the contrast was striking. Sleek, half-million-dollar townhomes towered beside aging properties and modest rentals. Progress? Yes. But at what cost?

Rising property values are pushing out longtime residents—especially seniors and working-class families—many of whom have deep roots in these communities. Even maintaining a home can feel risky, as improvements often trigger higher taxes.

HCLT’s solution? Stabilize costs by separating land ownership from homeownership, ensuring residents are taxed only on what they can truly afford.

Seeing the Model in Action

At Wayside Village, the concept came to life. A beautiful, mixed-income neighborhood where you couldn’t distinguish affordable homes from market-rate ones—that’s exactly the point.

No stigma. No segregation. Just community.

In Acres Homes, attendees met Ms. Mitchell, a proud homeowner whose journey embodied resilience and faith. Once told she could never afford a home, she now stands as living proof that access changes everything.

Her story wasn’t just inspiring—it was instructive. Financial education, budgeting workshops, and ongoing support are all part of HCLT’s “stewardship” model, ensuring homeowners don’t just buy homes—they keep them.

The Stakes in Freedmen’s Town

The tour’s final stop, Freedmen’s Town, delivered a sobering reality. Once a cornerstone of Black history in Houston, the neighborhood is rapidly transforming. Entire blocks are being cleared. New development is rising. And with it, the risk of cultural erasure.

For residents like Andrew Cosma, HCLT offered a rare chance to remain in a community he loves—one that’s becoming increasingly out of reach for many.

More Than Housing—It’s a Movement

This isn’t just about real estate. It’s about equity, access, and the right to belong.

Houston’s affordability crisis isn’t limited to one group—it affects students, seniors, teachers, service workers, and families alike. And while development is inevitable, displacement doesn’t have to be.

HCLT is calling on Houstonians to engage, learn, and advocate. Because the future of this city isn’t just being built—it’s being decided.

And the question remains: Who will Houston be built for?

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Francis Page Jr
fpagejr@stylemagazine.com
7139275444

By Zach Fuentes and Frances Wang

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — ICE agents in plain clothes forcefully detained a woman at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday night while her young daughter watched, setting off controversy across the Bay Area.

Videos of the incident went viral after they were posted late Sunday. The incident happened around 10 p.m. in Terminal 3.

The video shows what appears to be officers arresting a woman with a crowd of people surrounding her, the arrest happening in front of the woman’s daughter, who could be heard crying.

The woman who recorded the video told ABC7 Eyewitness News’ Frances Wang, she rushed over after hearing screaming and seeing a child crying.

She said she repeatedly asked the men to identify themselves. “Is this a kidnapping? Is this a federal agent? And that was what was most frustrating was not being able to receive any sort of response from them,” the woman who didn’t want to be named said. “These are other humans that are being treated as less than. And I think, you know, anyone should react this way.”

The officers did not respond to those requests and the woman is seen later being taken through the airport by officers in a wheelchair.

The news of that detainment came just a day before the president said he would send ICE agents to national airports to ease long TSA lines. The Bay Area, as of now, is not included in those airports, so this incident appears to be unrelated, but left many people confused and on edge.

The Department of Homeland Security later confirmed it was an arrest and insists it happened before President Trump’s deployment of ICE agents to national airports.

In a statement released on X Monday, the DHS identified the woman and her daughter as Angelina and Wendy Godinez-Lopez.

DHS claims the family had “an outstanding final order of removal since 2019.”

DHS also provided context on what lead up to the viral video moment.

“While being escorted to the international terminal for processing, Lopez-Jimenez attempted to flee and resisted law enforcement officers,” wrote a DHS spokesperson. “ICE is working as quickly as possible to repatriate the family unit to their home country of Guatemala.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for SFO said that federal officers were transporting two people on an outbound flight when the incident on video happened.

SFO says it believes that it was an isolated incident and that it has no reason to suspect that broader enforcement is happening at SFO.

“The airport’s role is to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the facility for all passengers and staff. We were not involved in or notified in advance of this incident. Airport operations continued without disruption, and there was no impact to flights or passenger processing,” the statement said in part.

San Francisco police and local lawmakers are sounding off on the issue.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie posted a statement on X, saying:

“Like many San Franciscans, I found the incident at SFO last night upsetting. I have spoken to leaders at SFO and SFPD, and we believe this is an isolated incident. We have no reason to believe there is broader federal immigration enforcement at SFO. SFPD officers remained at the scene to maintain public safety and were not involved in the incident. Under our city’s longstanding policies, local law enforcement does not participate in federal civil immigration enforcement. Those policies keep us safe and will not change as long as I’m mayor.”

State Senator Scott Wiener held a press conference in response to the incident, where he reiterated a stance that “ICE is not welcome in San Francisco or at San Francisco International Airport.”

“We don’t need ICE or border patrol or any of these other thugs in our city and our airport,” he said. “They’re not welcome here, and they need to stay the hell out.”

Wiener also expressed skepticism about DHS’ statement, saying he takes statements from the administration “with a huge grain of salt.”

His understanding is that the woman and her child were being taken to the airport to be deported and that they ultimately boarded a plane.

“Last night, at the airport, we had a really horrible situation with immigration agents, with a mother and her young daughter. They were violently handcuffing her and taking her down. And, at the airport. It was just horrible with a child there.”

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Kevin Mullin also issued the following joint statement:

“The video of a mother being aggressively detained by ICE agents in front of her daughter at the San Francisco International Airport is yet another heartbreaking example of how Trump’s inhumane immigration enforcement is terrorizing communities across America. After killing people in our streets and detaining U.S. citizens, ICE has lost all credibility and trust with the public. We demand immediate answers as to the mother’s and her child’s condition and the grounds for their detainment. The hardworking TSA staff at SFO are contract employees, and we are relieved to hear this incident is not related to Trump’s threat to send ICE agents into airports to perform sensitive airport security for which they are not trained. Trump and Republicans are failing to keep communities safe and posing risks to families across America.”

Another video shows several San Francisco police officers standing nearby. SFPD said it does not assist in enforcing civil federal immigration laws and was only on scene to maintain public safety.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Andrea Flores

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN DIEGO (KCRA) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego arrested a driver after they attempted to smuggle a Mexican national concealed in a vehicle’s gas tank.

This happened on Feb. 27 around 7:30 p.m. CBP officers encountered a 20-year-old man driving a 2005 GMC SUV.

During an initial inspection, CBP says the canine team alerted them to the vehicle’s undercarriage. The vehicle was driven to a secondary inspection area. That’s where officers found a person hiding inside a non-factory compartment in the gas tank.

The person hiding in the gas tank was taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista for treatment of burn injuries sustained during the smuggling attempt.

“This case underscores the dangerous and inhumane tactics employed by smugglers who prioritize profit over human lives,” said San Ysidro Port Director Mariza Marin. “Thanks to the vigilance and professionalism of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, this individual was located and removed from a life-threatening situation, subsequently receiving the medical attention they needed. CBP remains committed to disrupting smuggling operations that endanger the public.”

The driver was arrested and booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Andres Valle

Click here for updates on this story

    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested a woman believed to be a mother from Sacramento on Sunday night.

Angelina Lopez-Jimenez was at San Francisco International Airport when she was arrested in front on her daughter.

The incident is unrelated to the Trump administration’s deployment of ICE agents to assist the Transportation Security Administration.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that Lopez-Jimenez, originally from Guatemala, was issued a removal order in 2019 and resisted officers as they took her to the international terminal for processing.

NorCal Resist, an advocacy group, was alerted by sources in the Bay Area about Lopez-Jimenez’s arrest and is working to connect her family with support and resources.

The group said the family is traumatized and has not been open to sharing more details.

“I think just by the fact that they were not prepared to have a longer conversation about what happened with us. Even if we wanted to see how we could help, I think that really just shows how overwhelmed they are at this moment. Not only are they dealing with the trauma of separation, you know, the daughter witnessing that arrest,” Giselle Garcia, a representative from NorCal Resist said. “Their fear of retaliation has silenced them from telling their story on their terms, which is really disheartening.”

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said, “ICE is working as quickly as possible to repatriate the family unit to their home country of Guatemala.”

The arrest happened a day before the Trump administration’s deployment began, and San Francisco International Airport is not one of the airports where ICE is deployed, as it uses a private contractor for security checkpoints.

NorCal Resist said they reached out to Congresswoman Doris Matsui after learning of the woman’s ties to Sacramento.

“I am demanding answers as to why ICE treated this Sacramentan so violently in front of her daughter,” Marsui wrote on X.

The organization could not confirm where exactly her family lives in the area due to privacy reasons.

“They’re in such a vulnerable position where they are being retaliated against for speaking up. And so that fear is unfortunately also stopping the community, us right, from actually learning the true depths of the horrors that happen,” Garcia said.

Garcia told KCRA 3 that once the family gives them the green light, they will share more information. Right now, they’re focused on providing resources to the family.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.