DUE DILIGENCE & REUSE PLANNING
Banking Sunnyside Landfill
A proposal to accelerate redevelopment of the 240-acre former Holmes Road Landfill into a community asset through a land banking agreement with the Houston Land Bank.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Opened around 1937 in the historically Black Sunnyside neighborhood and capped by 1976, the 240-acre Sunnyside (Holmes Road) Landfill has long carried the community’s environmental burden.
In August 2025, the City of Houston engaged HLB to evaluate accelerating its redevelopment through a land banking agreement—building directly on HLB’s successful banking and cleanup of the Velasco Street Incinerator.
HLB proposes a Professional Services Agreement to deliver Phase I: Due Diligence & Reuse Planning.
ABOUT HLB
Public local government corporation, authorized by Texas SB 1679
In good standing with the U.S. EPA and TCEQ
$7M+ in EPA grant funding secured to date
Proven success on Velasco St. Incinerator & Hays St. (Yellow Cab) sites
HOW THE FUND SUPPORTS YOU
Technical Review
ASTM E2247-23 Phase I ESA satisfying CERCLA All Appropriate Inquiry for landowner liability protections.
→ Phase I ESA report
Highest & Best Use Analysis
Evaluate reuse options that are legally permissible, financially feasible, maximally productive, and community-supported.
→ Detailed report + summary presentation
Liability & Risk Assessment
Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA) with comparative cleanup costs and a project risk memo.
→ ABCA report + risk analysis memo
KEY DECISION POINT: Proceed to Reuse Planning or pass
Reuse Planning & Resource Roadmap
Predevelopment plan including financial modeling, milestones, funding roadmap, and community engagement strategy.
→ Reuse Plan + Resource Roadmap
Evaluation of Transfer
Draft terms and conditions to serve as the baseline for negotiating the Land Banking Agreement.
→ Draft term sheet
PHASE I AT A GLANCE
$410K
Total Phase I investment
6–9 months
Estimated duration
5
Tasks across 2 stages
240 acres
to be evaluated
KEY ASSUMPTIONS
Existing assessment data is sufficient; no new site or geotechnical work required
Legal fees and insurance purchases are excluded from Phase I
Community engagement begins in later stages
PHASE I SCHEDULE & COST ESTIMATE
TASK
DURATION
COST
FUNDING
STAGE 1 — DUE DILIGENCE
1 · Technical Review (Phase I ESA)
8 weeks
$30,000
EPA CWA
2 · Highest & Best Use Study
18 weeks
$50,000
KSU TAB
3 · Liability & Risk Assessment
12 weeks
$60,000
tbd
HLB Operations & Oversight
---
$60,000
tbd
STAGE 2 — REUSE PLANNING & TRANSFER (UPON ADMINISTRATION APPROVAL)
4 · Reuse Plan & Resource Roadmap
12 weeks
$70,000
TBD
5 · Evaluation of Transfer (draft terms)
12 weeks
$100,000
TBD
HLB Operations & Oversight
---
$40,000
tbd
Total Phase I
~6–9 months
$410,000
Mixed