Jennine Hovell-Cox

Jennine Hovell-Cox is a seasoned attorney and executive leader with over two decades of legal experience in real estate, bankruptcy, and corporate governance. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Houston Housing Authority (Hha).

In her role at Hha, Hovell-Cox focuses on transparency, accountability, and a commitment to serving Houston’s low-income and most vulnerable populations by providing safe, decent, and affordable housing options. From October 2024 – February 2025, she was appointed Interim President and Ceo during a critical leadership transition. In this role, Hovell-Cox was instrumental in guiding the agency through organizational challenges, including addressing cybersecurity threats and reinforcing ethical governance practices.

Prior to joining Hha in November 2022, Hovell-Cox led her own legal practice, the Law Offices of Jennine Hovell-Cox, for over 15 years. Her firm specialized in bankruptcy, consumer protection, and real estate law, serving clients across the Greater Houston area. Her legal acumen earned her recognition as a Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2004 and 2005.

Hovell-Cox also served as General Counsel from 2019 to 2022 for Sister2Sister2.0, a new iteration of the Sister2Sister brand (Sister 2 Sister Magazine), founded by legendary journalist Jamie Foster Brown, where she provided strategic legal counsel. She also served as a reporter and journalist during her tenure.

Throughout her career, Hovell-Cox has been involved in high-profile legal cases, including representing clients in complex civil rights and public interest matters. Notably, she advocated for the Houston family of four “step” children (one deceased) found abandoned and severely neglected in a Houston apartment, as well as the questionable and racially charged “traffic stop” of a former New England Patriots linebacker. Both cases drew national and worldwide attention. Hovell-Cox has also been featured on the platform Medium and provided commentary on Fox 26 News as part of a report surrounding the Deshaun Watson legal proceedings.

A graduate of the Southern University Law Center, Hovell-Cox was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1997. In 2024, she was named as a Top 100 Lawyer by the National Black Lawyers Association and has been recognized for her contributions to the legal community. Hovell-Cox sits on the Advisory Board of the Hermann Park Conservancy and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Hovell-Cox has two children, Justin and Gia, who are embarking on their own journeys that will focus on community impact.