Affordable Housing: Challenges and Opportunities in Texas
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Date
2023-02
Authors
Cole, Allan
Greenberg, Sherri
Pedigo, Steven
Pope, Mandy
Mueller, Elizabeth
Way, Heather
Wegmann, Jake
Smith, Kayla
Gilliam, Lance
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Texas at Austin
Abstract
Department
Description
The motivation for this issue brief begins with the University
of Texas at Austin’s 10-year Strategic Plan, “Change Starts
Here,” which commits to understanding affordability
challenges for the university’s community. University
leadership brought together a diverse group of stakeholders
throughout the 2021-2022 academic year to share their
perspectives about housing challenges and opportunities
in Austin. To build on and broaden the geographic scope
of this work leading up to the legislative session, a faculty
collaboration representing the LBJ School of Public Affairs,
the School of Architecture’s Community and Regional
Planning department, the School of Law, and the Steve
Hicks School of Social Work convened two focus groups to
discuss housing affordability issues in fall 2022. Roundtable
and breakout session conversations included participants
from cities and metro areas throughout the state, including
Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston/Harris County, Abilene, Lubbock, and El Paso. Discussion participants represented
city governments, policy organizations, academia, real estate
developers, investors, and housing advocacy organizations.
The purpose of this document is to summarize the
conversations and raise awareness of the key housing
affordability themes and issues that emerged during the
focus groups. Participant perspectives reflected the diversity
of their experience working in the housing affordability
space, and conflicting views were occasionally presented.
The inclusion of identified issues in this brief does not
imply that all participants were in agreement. Some
participants offered ideas the state could take to help address
housing affordability, which are shared, but this document
does not intend to present policy recommendations.