9 in 10 Texans say housing affordability is a problem
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
An overwhelming majority of Texans consider housing affordability to be an issue, per a new survey by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University.
Why it matters: Housing remains a widespread problem across genders, races, generations and partisan lines.
- Rising housing costs and living expenses limit economic mobility and increase financial stress, particularly in metros like Houston, where demand exceeds supply and affordability is severely impacted, per the report.
Driving the news: The survey found that 90% of Texans consider housing affordability a problem in their part of Texas, with 44% considering it a big problem and 46% somewhat of a problem.
The survey, fielded from late June to early July, was conducted in English and Spanish, with 2,257 respondents 18 or older and a 2.1% margin of error.
By the numbers: The poll found that 53% of Latino Texans and 50% of Black Texans believe housing affordability is a significant issue in their part of the state, compared with 39% of white Texans.
- 47% of Black Texans and 46% of Latino Texans report housing costs create substantial financial strain for them and their family, compared with 30% of white Texans.
- 68% of Texas Democrats and 46% of Texas Republicans favor government policies designed to increase the amount of affordable rental housing.
Between the lines: Nearly a quarter of Texas' 6.9 million homeowner households are classified as housing-cost burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. This issue is largely driven by high property taxes and rising homeowner insurance costs, per the report.
Meanwhile, the Houston Housing Authority has created tens of thousands of tax-exempt housing units over seven years, but just 1% are intended for Houston's extremely low-income residents. Most of these affordable units are geared toward higher-income households already served by the market, per a Houston Chronicle analysis of an HHA audit.
What we're watching: State lawmakers are expected to address the affordability crisis when the Texas Legislature meets next year.