A new apartment complex opening soon in the East End will be the latest to offer discounted rents for people such as police officers, teachers, food service workers, and nurses.

Dubbed The Lawndale, the new complex is a 2.5 fenced acre housing community with 106 units. Rentals will range from one to three bedrooms in buildings as high as four stories. Located at 8225 Lawndale Street, residents will be able to start moving in this month, according to owners Lovett Commercial.

“For our inaugural multifamily project, we’re proud to make investment in the East End, a lively and diverse historical neighborhood,” said Frank Liu, Lovett Commercial founder and president, in a statement. “Essential housing is an investment in our city’s future and a vital part of creating and maintaining vibrant communities.”

While many of the units will be at a market rate, half of the units will be set aside for the Houston Housing Authority’s Essential Housing Program. Under this program, essential workers who make 80 percent of the median area income are eligible to live in rent-adjusted apartment homes. The goal of the program is to allow essential workers to live closer to their jobs such as hospitals and reduce their long commute times.

The Lawndale has a lot to offer prospective renters. All units have 10-foot ceilings, washers and dryers, wood-look floors, walk-in closets, island kitchens, and granite countertops. It is pet-friendly, and even has a dog washing station. Most attractive for the medical personnel that may live there, it has easy access to the METRORail line, making for a car-free commute to the Texas Medical Center.

The complex is part of the latest spread of luxury homes and high-end establishments moving into the East End. Over the past decade, art galleries, restaurants, and other businesses have transformed the area.

Unfortunately, things aren't as promising in other parts of the neighborhood. Another East End housing complex, the Pointe at Bayou Bend, has been mired in accusations of poor environmental protection for new residents. Mayor John Whitmire recently asked the Houston Housing Authority to step in and halt move-ins at the complex, citing the discovery of incinerator ash on the grounds.

The establishment of Essential Housing homes in the East End, where many essential workers reside, means that they might not be pushed out of the neighborhood as it improves and prices climb. It’s clear, so far, that The Lawndale takes maintaining the community's character seriously.