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Houston’s Affordable
Housing Issues
The issues of affordable housing
Affordable housing is a complex issue involving people, communities, places, and the economy. There are multiple factors contributing to the issues with affordable housing, including overall home prices, inflation, income, and supply and demand. A lack of affordable housing affects low-income to moderate-income residents, causing these residents to possibly lose their home or make tough decisions on payments. These households are cost-burdened households—they are spending at least 30% of their income on housing.
Houston's affordable housing concerns need to be addressed
There are two financial concerns that Houstonians have grown increasingly worried about: inflation and housing prices. While Houston is considered a “bargain city” due to its lower cost-of-living, Houstonians continue to fall under the pressure of rising costs—this is the new economic reality. There are a few factors to this, but ultimately, Houston does not have enough affordable housing for every household. This concern must be addressed: what can be done about Houston’s affordable housing crisis?
Featuring Avenue Place in Houston, Texas. Avenue is a registered nonprofit seeking to address the affordable housing concerns in Houston by building affordable homes and establishing communities.
19
31,000
50.6%
Featuring the PRH-Low Income Duplexes from Project Row Houses and Rice Building Workshop. These duplexes were designed and constructed to not only address Houston’s overall affordable housing crisis, but drawing awareness to the state of housing in Third Ward.
"I Live With My Parents"
Behind the Eyes
of Sofia Hoang
My name is Sofia. I’m 26, nearing 27.
I’ve graduated.
I have a job.
My income isn’t bad, but I still live with my parents. I come from an immigrant family—my parents came to the U.S. to Houston from China.
Though they’ve supported me for years, it will also be years that I still live with my parents. It just might be this way for a long, long while, because despite how relieved I am to be able to pay the bills and groceries, I know I won’t be able to afford a home on my own. I’m constantly anxious. It’s hard to tell others because there’s still many people who will look at you oddly when you say, “Yeah, I still live with my parents” to which you then feel the need to explain that even with a stable job, you haven’t moved out. Sadly, I just can’t afford a home—not with how much everything costs these days. I live with my parents because it’s much, much, much better financially.
The best my parents and I can do is keep our home, but with the way things are now, it’d be nearly impossible to go and live on my own. Any money I set aside from bills is for emergencies. So…well…how are people supposed to afford a home like this?
— Sofia Hoang