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The State of Housing in Houston

The State of Housing in Houston

How a Lack of Development Is Hurting Low-Income Residents

Brendan O'Hare
February 24, 2023

CY via Unsplash

There are only 19 units for every 100 households in need, or about an 80% deficit. According to a report by Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Houston has seen more than half of its affordable rental units disappear since 2010, while rents have gone up by 17%. The report also showed that Houston has one of the worst records of subsidized housing production among major U.S. cities.

This dashboard, taken from the cities own research arm, shows just how bad Turner has been as a leader.

People have claimed that Turner used federal money for housing projects and the cleanup after Hurricane Harvey in a way that was dishonest and favored people he knew. In October 2021, Turner's former director of housing, Tom McCasland, said that Turner rigged the process to give $15 million to a controversial Sunnyside development project with a co-developer who was a political friend of his. McCausland also said that Turner didn't listen to his staff or follow their advice in order to help his friend.

Turner said he didn't do anything wrong and pulled his support for the project after the public criticized him, but he hasn't said anything about his decision, or the corruption claims yet. He has also been criticized for pushing for an affordable housing project in Upper Kirby that would force low-income people out of their homes and bring more traffic to an already busy area. Turner has said that his plan for affordable housing is fair and includes everyone, but many people, like us, don’t buy into the bold-faced lies.

As mayor of Houston, Turner has one more year to tackle the affordable housing crisis in the city. But he hasn't given any clear plans or policies for how to deal with this important problem. He has also not shown any interest in working with other stakeholders, such as county officials, nonprofit organizations, developers, or community groups, to find solutions. Instead, he has used his executive power and personal preferences to decide how federal funds are allocated and where affordable housing projects are built.

Houston deserves a mayor who can lead with integrity and accountability, who can listen to diverse voices and perspectives, who can balance competing interests and priorities, and who can deliver on promises and commitments. Mayor Turner has fallen short on all these aspects. He has let down Houston’s low-income residents, who need safe, decent, and accessible housing. He has jeopardized Houston’s future as a vibrant, inclusive, and resilient city.

I wanted to make a quick announcement. A few friends of mine over at Corrupted Vanity are hosting a volunteer trash pickup event in the Bay Area (Houston). If you’d like to participate, feel free to contact them via text or Instagram.

In partnership with Corrupted Vanity

No Bull is the only media outlet that strives to make Houstonians in every part of town live in cozy, secure, and charming communities. That's why No Bull relies solely on readers like you and corporate sponsorships. If you want to support urbanism advocacy and coverage in Houston, you can donate here. I'll see you on Friday with more news about our great city.

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