85R32720 BPG-D
By: Rodriguez of Travis H.R. No. 2581
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The availability of decent, safe, and affordable
housing is essential for Texas families and communities to thrive
and prosper; and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development deems housing "affordable" when occupants pay no more
than 30 percent of household income for gross housing costs,
including utilities; families who must devote a greater proportion
of their budgets to housing are considered cost burdened, as they
may struggle to purchase such necessities as food, clothing,
transportation, and medical care; and
WHEREAS, The latest HUD data indicate that 12 million renters
and homeowners across the nation are severely burdened by housing
expenses that consume over 50 percent of their incomes, and more
than 2.5 million people are annually evicted from their homes; the
crisis is particularly acute for the very poor, minorities, and the
elderly; the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program was
designed to help those in greatest need, but the number of LIHTC
units being built has dwindled over the last two decades, and today,
vacancies are rare and waiting lists are long; and
WHEREAS, In Texas, 39 percent of households rent, and nearly
a quarter of those households are extremely low income; overall,
almost a third of households are housing-cost burdened, and the
current shortage of affordable homes is estimated at more than
626,000; and
WHEREAS, Historic factors in the lack of affordable housing
include segregation, the "redlining" process, in which banks
refused to issue home loans in minority neighborhoods, and other
forms of discrimination; in recent years, gentrification and wage
stagnation have exacerbated the problem; a 2017 report by the
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found that Texas housing costs
jumped 34 percent between 2010 and 2015, while incomes rose by a
mere 14 percent; the report warned that declining housing
affordability has eroded the state's cost-of-living advantage and
imperils its long-term economic and population growth; and
WHEREAS, The lack of affordable housing has a profound impact
on health, child development, educational attainment,
socioeconomic mobility, and community safety and stability;
fortunately, Texas has a long tradition of investing wisely in
affordable housing, including both rental units and homes, and
continuing to expand this investment can assist families,
strengthen communities, and build a foundation for ongoing economic
prosperity; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 4 through 10, 2018, as Texas
Affordable Housing Week.