Houston Mayor Halts Affordable Housing Deals

The mayor wants to examine the true benefits and impacts of a state law meant to boost affordable housing production that allows developers to exempt their projects from property taxes.

1 minute read

February 10, 2023, 6:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Houston, Construction

Sandra Fernandez / Flickr

After residents in the upscale Tanglewood neighborhood of Houston resisted plans to build affordable housing there, Mayor Sylvester Turner has put a halt on similar affordable housing deals citywide “until he can examine them more closely,” writes R.A. Schuetz in the Houston Chronicle. 

The controversy centers around a 2015 state law regarding public facility corporations, “which allows local housing authorities to take properties off the tax roll if developers make some of the units affordable.” Critics say the law doesn’t clarify what “affordable” means or limit rents to a percentage of income. “[Mayor Turner] emphasized that his concern was whether developers were creating enough affordable units to warrant such a large tax break.” As Schuetz points out, “a 2020 study by the University of Texas School of Law found that, because of the law’s lack of clarity around the definition of affordability, the ‘affordable’ units it created were often market rate.” 

Meanwhile, some residents worry that removing tax revenue from new developments will harm local schools and infrastructure, even as developers “stretch the definition” of affordability and fail to benefit the lowest-income households. According to a Houston Chronicle investigation, some landlords don’t accept residents with housing vouchers. The mayor says the program will remain suspended “Until I can get a much better understanding of who’s getting what and for what.”

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 in Houston Chronicle

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

30 minutes ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

1 hour ago - Cities Today

View from inside car's driver seat while driving.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians

Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

2 hours ago - Bloomberg CityLab

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA