Southwest Houston is a region in Houston, Texas, United States. South West Houston is considered to be the area from around Beltway 8 to Highway 6, south of Interstate 10. Many low-income apartment complexes are located in Southwest Houston. The apartment complexes bordered by U.S. Route 59 and Bissonnet Road, including properties along Bellaire Boulevard and Gulfton Drive, are dense and known for crime. Hurricane Katrina refugees came to the apartments in 2005. The Houston Metropolitan Chamber, formerly the Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce, serves several neighborhoods often identified as "Southwest Houston."
History
From the 1980 U.S. Census to the 1990 Census, many African-Americans left traditional African-American neighborhoods and entered parts of Southwest Houston; areas of Southwest Houston received from more than 1,000 African-Americans per square mile to more than 3,500 African-Americans per square mile. Many Asian-Americans moved into Southwest Houston during the same period. They were mostly Chinese American, Indian American, and Pakistani American; some pockets of Cambodian Americans, Korean Americans, and Vietnamese Americans appeared during that period. Southwest Houston area contains one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the Southern United States. A combination of Roads and water, especially Bayous and creeks defines the boundary of Southwest community, Harris county in Houston Texas. Railroads also separates part of the boundary from Missouri City but not as significant as Roads. The area is known as southwest, while Houston is popularly known as H-TOWN or SPACE CENTER. On May 31, 2013, the Houston Fire Department suffered its largest casualty in a single event, the Southwest Inn fire, with four firefighters killed and 13 others were injured while fighting a 5-alarm fire at Southwest Inn, located in the Greater Sharpstown district of Southwest Houston.
Neighborhoods and communities considered to be in Southwest Houston
Neighborhoods and communities in Houston defined as Southwest Houston by the Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce :
Other neighborhoods and communities outside of Houston considered to be in Southwest Houston
Brazoria County:
* Lakes of Savannah : The website refers to the community as in "Southwest Houston"
Economy
The corporate office for Rice Epicurean Markets is located on a lot in Southwest Houston. Rice established its headquarters there in 1960, and the current headquarters facilities opened on that land in 2005. Walmart and other smaller grocery stores were observed including gas stations. Many Non industrial business ventures were observed with few industrial and factory businesses. The small business owners consist of average size employees. Most people work in the community.
