Report Calls for ‘Sustained and Significant’ Investments in Affordable Housing

The National Low Income Housing Coalition 2023 annual report, “The Gap,” shows a worsening housing crisis for low-income renters, with Texas ranking sixth for available and affordable housing, reports Jamil Donith for Spectrum News 1 El Paso.

As Donith explains, “This year’s data shows the national average for affordable and available rental homes is 33 rental units per every 100 extremely low-income household.” For some Texas cities, this number is much lower: the state average is 25, while Houston has 19 rental units per 100 households and Austin and Dallas both have just 16.

According to Michael Depland, spokesperson for housing advocacy group Texas Housers, “severe affordable rental shortages, lack of state funded programs and subsidized housing, exclusionary zoning laws, population growth and inflation are some major factors” in the state’s failure to provide enough affordable housing for its growing population. “Depland tells Spectrum News Texas Housers researchers found that out of the more than $30 billion state surplus, none of that money went to renters or tenant rights programs.”

According to the report, the solution is clear. “Only sustained and significant federal investments in rental housing can ensure that the lowest-income renters, who are disproportionately people of color, have affordable homes.”