The Fair Housing Battleground Returns to Texas

All eyes are on Texas to see whether fair housing policies enacted by the Obama Administration will have any chance to stick.

2 minute read

February 4, 2017, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development sent a letter to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner declaring that a city decision to table a mixed-income housing project in a wealthy neighborhood violates civil rights," reports Janine White.

Not only did HUD find that opposition to the development, located in the Galleria area of the city, "was motivated either in whole or in part by the race, color or national origin of the likely tenants," the federal agency also found that the decision reflects a common trend in the city. That is, "the way the city handles approvals of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit applications is 'influenced by racially motivated opposition to affordable housing and perpetuate[s] segregation.'"

Houston Public Media (HPM) reported on the controversy over the Galleria project earlier in January, noting that Mayor Sylvester Turner argued that the project was too expensive in a statement releases in response to the HUD letter. The HPM article includes both HUD's letter and Mayor Turner's response in full.

To add context to the debate about fair housing practices in Houston, Leah Binkovitz recently published an article for The Urban Edge that talks about the looming challenges to fair housing in Texas—with a new administration in power at HUD and examples like Houston's as evidence. According to Binkovitz, "a new report from the advocacy group Texas Low Income Housing Information Service shows that recent changes at the state level to better comply with federal fair housing standards were effective in locating new developments in less racially segregated, poor neighborhoods." At risk with the new regime in Washington, D.C. is progress, as evidenced by the Houston case study, on the controversial issue of fair housing.

Much of the fair housing actions of the Obama Administration's eight years and office have some connection to Texas, due to the Supreme Court ruling on the issue of disparate impact in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project. That decision was followed closely by HUD's announcement of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule.


Monday, January 30, 2017 in Next City

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

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 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight