Our Projects

City of Houston Brownfields

Houston, Texas | 2019 - Present

Adaapta (formerly Community Lattice) provides programmatic and community engagement support to Houston’s Brownfields Redevelopment Program (BRP) to fulfill the program’s mission of becoming an essential resource to real estate and community development in Houston. Adaapta has secured $2.6 million in EPA Brownfields Grants for Houston’s BRP since 2018, including the establishment of a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) program. Professional services provided to the City include grant management and EPA reporting, community and stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, technical project oversight, brownfields inventory management, brownfields reuse planning and visioning, training of City staff, program marketing, and funding resource mapping. Additionally, Adaapta supports the Houston Health Department’s investigation of a cancer cluster in Northeast Houston.

Project Highlights:

  • $2.6 Million in EPA Funding

  • St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Rehab Support

  • Identified 100s of brownfields in the form of vacant lots, historic dry cleaners, and former auto repair/service stations in Fifth Ward, Denver Harbor, East End, and Sunnyside.

  • Advance parks development along Buffalo Bayou Park’s East Sector

All Hazards Climate Vulnerability Assessment

Charleston County, South Carolina | 2023-2024

Adaapta (formerly Community Lattice) was a subcontractor to Fernleaf Interactive, LLC (Fernleaf) to create an All Hazards Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Charleston County, South Carolina. Adaapta’s team was responsible for conducting focused community engagement to document and integrate qualitative data from the lived experiences of community leaders into a data-rich, county-wide climate vulnerability assessment. Community knowledge is essential for interpreting data that can often be biased or include gaps or hidden assumptions about underrepresented and/or sensitive populations. By partnering with community leaders early in the vulnerability assessment, an opportunity to build trust at the foundation of the resilience-planning process was created. This approach involved facilitating focus groups with community leaders to obtain preliminary feedback, cultivate relationships, garner early support on initiatives, and increase County staff readiness for broader community involvement after the project. The process resulted in identifying early action projects that the County and community leaders could execute to achieve resilience goals, including disaster preparedness communication improvements and food security initiatives.

Furthermore, the Fernleaf and Adaapta team were recently (2024) awarded a $121,821 grant through the Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI) to partner with Charleston County and Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities (LAMC), a local community-based organization, to enable a systematic approach to flood mitigation investments and to catalyze climate-smart community revitalization through brownfields redevelopment.

Houston Land Bank

Houston, Texas | 2021 - Present

For several years, we have had the honor of working with the Houston Land Bank (HLB) as a strategic advisor and partner to build HLB’s capacity to redevelop underutilized properties throughout Houston. In 2020, we helped write and secure $6.1 million in U.S. EPA Brownfields grants, enabling the HLB to advance redevelopment plans for sites like the Former City of Houston Velasco Street Incinerator, Former Yellow Cab property, Settegast “Forest,” and several smaller lots complicated with environmental issues. We have used this grant as a launchpad for HLB’s Brownfields Program with ambitious plans to grow brownfields funding and redevelopment resources to bolster HLB’s ability to reactivate properties and address housing, environmental justice, and comprehensive community development needs throughout Houston.

Project Highlights:

  • Awarded FY21 $600,000 EPA Assessment Grant

  • Awarded FY24 $500,000 EPA Assessment Grant

  • Awarded FY24 $5,000,000 EPA Cleanup Grant Velasco Incinerator Site

  • Reuse planning for former Yellow Cab Headquarters property, slated for multifamily housing

  • Reuse planning for 7111 Harrisburg Blvd, slated for affordable housing redevelopment.

  • Facilitate quarterly community engagement meetings

Former Velasco Incinerator

Houston Land Bank, Houston, Texas | 2023 - Present

Adaapta was instrumental in helping the Houston Land Bank (HLB) and the City of Houston established a strategic partnership to transform the former Velasco Incinerator site using innovative community development models to create lasting positive impacts for the Second Ward and surrounding area. The Velasco Incinerator Site is 4.56 acres of vacant land on North Velasco Street along the south side of Buffalo Bayou. The City of Houston operated the site as a municipal incinerator facility from the 1920s through the late 1960s. All site buildings were removed by 1995, except for several incinerator stacks, a concrete building foundation, and a sanitary sewer lift station. The City of Houston transferred title of the property to HLB in 2023 to lead the cleanup efforts and restore the property to productive use for the community.

Project Highlights:

  • Successful transfer of property from City of Houston to Houston Land Bank in 2023 with a commitment of $850,000 from the City to complete assessment activities.

  • HLB awarded $5 Million FY 24 EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant (largest in EPA Region 6)

  • Cleanup and reuse planning completed to build an engineered cap and redevelop the property for parks and open space.

  • Established open, transparent, and frequent community engagement.

  • Adaapta designed www.bankingvelasco.org website to communicate project status updates, reports, and other critical information.

Former Yellow Cab Reuse

Houston Land Bank, Houston, Texas | 2020 - 2024

Since 2020, Adaapta (formerly Community Lattice) has worked with Houston Land Bank (HLB) as a strategic advisor and partner to build HLB’s capacity to redevelop underutilized properties throughout Houston. One such property is the 6.8-acre former Yellow Cab Houston Headquarters site, which is a priority for the HLB to combat displacement and high crime rates in Houston’s historic Near Northside community. The site's proximity to downtown, the light rail, and local amenities, coupled with its rich cultural heritage, present a unique setting for a landmark development. In addition to supporting HLB directly through their brownfields program, Adaapta was retained by the US EPA to conduct a technical assistance project for site planning, a market analysis, and a funding roadmap.

Project Highlights:

  • Developed a conceptual site layout that included single-family detached housing units, a community center, and a small commercial development opportunity. The project aims to build at least 65-70 housing units, serving a range of income levels, with community-oriented commercial spaces and greenspace for amenities.

  • Various community engagement strategies and meetings to ensure that the redevelopment plan reflects the community’s needs and aspirations.

Resilience Hub & Farm

Black United Fund of Texas, Houston, TX | 2019-Present

Adaapta (formerly as Community Lattice) has long partnered with the Black United Fund of Texas (BUFTX) to advance and build capacity around environmental and social justice projects and programming in Houston. Together with BUFTX, Adaapta has served the Greater Fifth Ward community by addressing health disparities and environmental health issues through various projects. Since 2021, Adaapta has helped BUFTX secure over $1.7 million in federal funding from the U.S. EPA and philanthropic organizations to build capacity and advance their mission.

Project Highlights:

  • Planted over 1000 “super-trees” (high for carbon sequestration and air quality) in Houston’s underserved communities.

  • Created a hydroponic farm in a converted 20-foot shipping container farm to address food insecurity and protect food production from climate vulnerabilities. Read more here.

  • Created a pilot project using two anaerobic digesters to convert food waste into clean energy and fertilizer and reduce methane emissions.

  • Established BUFTX’s headquarters, known as the Bayland Center, as a Resilience Hub in collaboration with the City of Houston Health Department, which will involve solar retrofitting of the entire facility, rain-capturing technology, composting, and expansion of hydroponic farming.

  • Established a local task force to combat illegal dumping.

  • Established a workforce training program for 40 community members to get certified as solar installation technicians through Houston Community College.

Neighborhood Resilience Plans

Houston, Texas | 2022-2023

Adaapta (formerly Community Lattice) was a subcontractor to One Architecture and Urbanism, working collaboratively with the Black United Fund of Texas, 5 Engineering, Climate Adaptation Partners, Fernleaf, and Enterprise Community Partners for the development of City of Houston Neighborhood Resilience Plans in three pilot neighborhoods: Independence Heights, Edgebrook, and East Houston. Adaapta was responsible for community engagement efforts, which included the creation of a Community Participation Plan (CPP) to guide the project team in galvanizing community participation in the development of Neighborhood Resilience Plans.

The information gained through meaningful community engagement gave context for the social and environmental vulnerability evaluation and data analysis needed for resilience planning. Furthermore, solutions and strategies developed to mitigate risk, increase resiliency, and build stronger communities were grounded in feedback received from the community. Often, these solutions and strategies were co-designed between the community and One Team with the expectation that community-based organizations would be able to execute resiliency projects or programs independent of City involvement. Our community engagement team also extended beyond Adaapta staff. When possible, we extended stipends, paid work, and partnership opportunities to community members and organizations.

Project Highlights:

  • 12 Neighborhood Support Team meetings, 9 Public Meetings, 16 Community Events

  • Completed a public art project as part of the engagement and to show early action in the community.

  • Advanced community-driven projects to mitigate flooding, extreme heat, displacement, and other climate vulnerabilities, including activating the planting of over 100 trees and public art projects.

EPA Technical Assistance

National | 2020-2025

Adaapta is partnered with Tetra Tech in providing technical assistance (TA) services for the EPA’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization’s (OBLR) Regionally Directed Funding and Financing Task Order (FTO), which provides communities with access to customized technical assistance on brownfield project financing, redevelopment economics, financial modeling, reuse planning, community engagement and other educational resources. Adaapta‘s staff brings applied expertise in market and economic analyses, real estate financing, pro forma development, community development, trauma informed engagement, and developing plans for phased redevelopment. Adaapta also provides educational resources and training on a wide range of financial strategies including applying for brownfield grants and loans, acquiring public TIF and PIF financing, conventional debt and equity, and other tax and other financial incentives. We also bring significant experience leveraging federal, state, local, and private/philanthropic redevelopment resources available to communities. Adaapta’s experts have implemented complex capital stacks including, for example, bringing together over 20 different funding sources for a large and complex brownfields redevelopment project.

Project Examples:

  • Funding and Financing Report including a Market Study, Cornelius, OR | 2024-2025

  • Harrisburg Redevelopment Market Study, Houston, TX | 2024-2025

  • Cecil C. Hinton Community Center Funding and Financing Report, Fresno, CA | 2024-2025

  • Housing Assessment & Community Engagement Strategies, Tucson, AZ | 2024-2025

  • Funding & Financing Report for Former Paris Incinerator, Paris, KY | 2024

  • Funding & Financing Report for Former Bureau of Indian Affairs Dormitory, Magdalena, NM | 2024

  • Reuse Plan and Demand Analysis for Former Yellow Cab site, Houston, TX | 2023-2024

  • Rome Cable Tower Revitalization Plan, Rome, NY | 2023-2024

  • Joslyn Park Project Financing Roadmap Report, Priest River, ID | 2023

EPA Brownfields Job Training Technical Assistance

National | 2024-Present

Adaapta is partnered with Tetra Tech in providing technical assistance (TA) services for the EPA’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization’s (OBLR) Brownfields Job Training (BFJT) Program. Since 2024, Adaapta has led the development and delivery of core TA resources for grantees, including updates to EPA’s Environmental Job Training Programs Best Practice Guide, monthly Professional Learning Community (PLC) calls, quarterly national webinars, and the annual All-Grantee Meeting. These resources provide practical guidance on student recruitment and retention, employer engagement, labor market studies, program design, and long-term tracking of graduate success.

In addition to developing and facilitating these resources, Adaapta provides direct technical assistance to new, existing, and prospective grantees, tailoring support to address varying levels of program maturity and community need. This includes one-on-one consultations, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and targeted training materials to build grantee capacity and strengthen program outcomes.

To inform and expand the reach of the BFJT Program, Adaapta also conducts national research to identify communities with high need and potential benefit, particularly rural, Tribal, and brownfields-burdened communities. This research guides outreach efforts and helps connect prospective applicants with workforce partners, training providers, and employers.

Through this combination of technical assistance, training, and research, Adaapta helps EPA broaden the impact of the BFJT Program, improve grantee effectiveness, and ensure that federal investments create meaningful career pathways in communities impacted by brownfields.

KSU TAB Technical Assistance

National | 2018-2025

Kansas State University’s Technical Assistance to Brownfields Program (KSU TAB) is funded through the EPA to provide free technical assistance to communities and other stakeholders with brownfields redevelopment resources in 21 states and with all federally recognized Tribes nationally. Adaapta is contracted as a KSU TAB partner and collaborates with full-time TAB staff and other TAB partners to support communities with community revitalization and brownfield redevelopment challenges. Our services to date have included a wide variety of grant reviews, community engagement support, webinar presentations, reuse plans, market studies, community engagement and needs assessments.

Project Examples:

  • Housing Market Study for Greater First Baptist Church, Houston, TX | 2025

  • Redevelopment Cost Analyses for Former Rushford Farmers Co-operative Elevator Site, Rushford, MN | 2024-2025

  • Financial Gap and Funding Analysis, Jones County Economic Development and Anamosa, IA | 2024-2025

  • Market Study and Site Reuse Analysis, Thornton, CO | 2024

  • Reuse Recommendations Report for Dahl Memorial Hospital, Ekalaka, MT | 2024

  • Community Needs Assessment, Washington, IA | 2023-2024

Technical Resources:

  • Development of PEER: Platform for Exploring Environmental Records

  • National Brownfields Job Training Program Technical Assistance Provider with Tetra Tech.

  • State Resource Guide Development

  • Regional Training and Workshop Provider on EPA Funding Opportunities

  • Grant Reviews for Applicants

Environmental Risk Modeling

Data.org Inclusive Growth & Recovery Challenge | 2021-2024

In January 2021, Community Lattice (now Adaapta) was named one of eight awardees (out of 1,260 applicants) of data.org’s Inclusive Growth and Recovery Challenge, a global competition to find breakthrough ideas that harness the power of data science to help communities thrive. This project leverages cross-disciplinary expertise and resources to advance brownfields research and access to critical information. Through this data.org funding, Community Lattice collaborated with KSU TAB and other partners, including local nonprofit developers, tribes, local governments, and community members, to create a Platform for Exploring Environmental Records (PEER) and the Analysis of Brownfields Costs (ABC) tools. These tools have been used widely by communities and stakeholders across the United States to identify brownfields, secure financing, and manage EPA-funded brownfield programs.

Project Highlights:

  • Creation of the Platform for Exploring Environmental Records (PEER) Tool

  • Creation of the Analysis for Brownfields Costs (ABC) Tool

  • Leveraged $120,000 in additional funding to continue work to bridge the data divide

  • Expands data tools for Kansas State University’s Technical Assistance to Brownfields Program by integration of PEER and ABC into their Brownfields Inventory Tool.

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