Alexis Boehmer, 2023 Harris Fellow, Harris County Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity
July 21, 2023

Harris County has a housing crisis. As with the rest of the country, Harris County has seen increasing housing costs with low-income renters being impacted the most. Between 2010 and 2021, median monthly housing costs soared upwards by 10-22% for renters [1]. This leaves over half of the renter population spending 30% or more of their monthly income on housing [1]. The Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area is the second worst in the country with 19 affordable and available housing units per 100 extremely low-income renters defined as those with incomes at or below the federal poverty guideline [1]. In order to combat this growing issue, a variety of affordable housing projects have been implemented at the city, county, and state levels. As Harris County moves to address this crisis, exclusionary housing placements of the past should not be repeated. 

 

(Percent of households that are cost burdened in Harris County)

Source: Understanding Houston: Home Ownership and Affordability

Historical policies contributed to housing segregation in Houston and throughout the nation. While we have progressed, many policies today still support the invisible barriers of the past. For instance, affordable housing units are concentrated in low-income areas further segregating cities. Affordable housing throughout Harris County consists of an amalgamation of programs implemented by city, county, and state programs. Despite having all these different programs, we are still not seeing thorough integration of affordable housing into high-opportunity areas.  High-opportunity areas are defined as higher-income neighborhoods, with good schools, and within close distance to amenities and services [3]. In 2017 the City of Houston was forced to agree to pursue more affordable housing units in high income areas after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that their housing policies violated the Federal Civil Rights Act [2]. Despite that agreement, minimal progress has been made, and further out into Harris County’s jurisdiction the state of high opportunity affordable housing isn’t faring much better.

Source: Harris County Affordable Rental Housing Overview

 

Failure to integrate affordable housing into high opportunity areas at a larger scale can likely be attributed to two primary causes. Firstly, there is the “Not In My Back Yard” or “NIMBY” movement within high income neighborhoods pushing against affordable housing integration to preserve property values [3]. However, many of the claims made by this movement have racial and classist overtones, associating low-income families with low property values and high crime rates [3]. The second argument claims investment interest in low-income areas increases as more units are built in these neighborhoods. For example, the Harris County Community Services Department has designated several low-income neighborhoods as target areas for revitalization efforts [4]. These efforts include affordable housing units. While the second argument is not without merit, this line of thinking fails to consider the long-term impacts of economic segregation. Residents living in metropolitan areas with greater economic segregation have lower economic mobility [3]. This keeps the same people in the same place, with the next generation taking root in the same environment, experiencing the same financial struggles as previous generations. As Harris County goes forward, we can set a positive precedent for other programs by increasing efforts towards economic integration.

Source: American Community Survey – Percent below the poverty level

The best way to improve the social mobility of Houston’s low-income renter population is by aggressively pursuing more affordable housing units in high opportunity areas. Units placed in these areas need rigorous requirements to make their housing affordable to extremely low-income renters. Concerns about decreasing property values can be countered with research showing property values tend to not be affected when affordable housing units are placed in financially secure neighborhoods [3]. What these units will affect is low-income households' access to higher paying jobs that pave the way towards a brighter future. They provide access to well stocked grocery stores, improving the health and productivity of residents. Perhaps most importantly, they allow the children in these households access to well-funded schools capable of offering them a myriad of opportunities to change their families economic standing for generations to come. On average, a child from a low-income household raised around peers from a higher income bracket has a much greater chance of earning a higher household income than a low-income child raised in a low-income area [5]. Overcoming classist biases and focusing on greater social mobility allows our community to uplift households with the greatest need while breaking down the remnants of racist housing policies. With this in mind, I urge residents and politicians alike to advocate for affordable housing to provide the best opportunity for social advancement.

The content and opinions expressed on this webpage are solely the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the University of Houston or the Hobby School of Public Affairs.

1. Understanding Houston: Home Ownership and Affordability
2. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/HUD-Houston-come-to-agreement-on-city-s-12742434.php
3. https://kinder.rice.edu/research/growing-unequal-mapping-high-opportunity-areas-and-implications-affordable-housing
4. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/562a260c03634d318c5af4b0f99d9a38
5. https://www.understandinghouston.org/topic/economic-opportunity/poverty-social-mobility