For all the talk of Texas' relatively affordable housing prices, the city of Austin is one of the worst examples of one of the dominant trends in the U.S. real estate market—fewer and fewer options for affordable rental housing.

"Austin’s share of housing units that rented for $800 or less shrunk 20 percent between 2005 and 2015, more than any other metropolitan area," reports Leah Binkovitz. That information is one of the findings included in the latest State of the Nation’s Housing report [pdf] from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. The decline of the number of affordable rental units has been one of the main talking points to emerge from this year's report.
"New Orleans fell just behind Austin, with its portion of rental units at the $800 or below rate shrinking by 19.5 percent," adds Binkovitz. "Houston’s supply of some of its cheapest rental units, meanwhile, shrunk by 13.1 percent in the same time frame."
FULL STORY: Rent for $800 or Less? Share of Cheap Units Available Shrinking in Most Metros

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

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

LA Falling Behind on Housing Goals
Last year, the city permitted just 30 percent of the number of housing units needed to meet a growing need.

Connecting Communities to Nature Close to Home
Los Angeles County’s Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly wellness and nature activities to local parks, making it easier for residents to enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

Palmdale’s Beloved Water Park Gets $2 Million Upgrade
To mark its 20th anniversary, DryTown Water Park has undergone major renovations, ensuring that families across the Antelope Valley continue to enjoy safe, affordable, and much-needed water-based recreation in the high desert.
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