How to Overcome a Legacy of Racist Housing Policy

An editorial by the co-director of the Texas Low Incomes Housing Information Service argues the benefits of a proposed public and subsidized housing project in Houston.

1 minute read

April 4, 2016, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"It would be refreshing if more Houstonians considered decades of public segregation as worthy of outrage and organized opposition," according to an editorial by John Henneberger. Instead, examples like the current controversy surrounding a proposed public and subsidized housing project by the Houston Housing Authority in the area around the Galleria, show how residents "frame the debate around the potential impact the development could have on local school overcrowding and traffic congestion."

According to Hennenberg, such "neighborhood inconveniences…pale in comparison to the real issue: systemic, widespread racial segregation." While Houston's history with public housing shows evidence of institutional racism, the Galleria development offers a new path.

Here, Hennenberger summarizes the thinking behind building public housing in more affluent areas:

Decades of research make it clear that moving from a low-opportunity area to a high-opportunity area vastly improves the chance that a low-income child succeeds in life, particularly if their family moves while they are still in elementary school. Growing up in a high opportunity neighborhood can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional future incomeMinority students achieve better educational outcomes at schools with diverse populations and are much more likely to attend college. Children are happier and healthier, due to lower stress levels, when living in safer environments.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016 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

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

6 hours ago - Real Change

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.

7 hours 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.

July 11 - Cities Today