HOUSING AFFORDABILITY: Keeping Houston Home for Working Families

The Crisis We Face

Houston's housing emergency has reached a breaking point. Home prices have risen 74% since 2010 while wages increased only 54%, creating an affordability gap that has grown 275% in Harris County (Rice University Kinder Institute, 2023). The median home now costs $325,000, requiring an annual income of $67,731 just to afford average rent of $1,693 monthly (Houston Chronicle, 2025).

This isn't just about numbers—it's about our neighbors. In the Third Ward, 27% of households pay over half their income in rent. The Second Ward has lost 25% of its Latino population to displacement. Nearly 80,000 eviction filings flooded our courts in 2022, double the 2020 levels (Texas Tribune, 2024).

Our Progressive Housing Agenda

1. Expand and Strengthen Apartment Inspection Program

Building on Dr. Plummer's landmark reforms, we will:

• Increase inspection staff from 12 to 35 positions, funded through registration fees on properties with 4+ units

• Implement proactive inspections on a 3-year cycle for all 427,000 rental units

• Establish graduated penalties from $500 to $5,000 per violation per day

• Create a public database of landlord violations accessible to tenants

Timeline: Year 1 implementation, full staffing by Year 2 Funding: Self-sustaining through registration fees estimated at $8 million annually

2. Houston Affordable Housing Production Fund

Create a dedicated $100 million annual fund through:

• Linkage fees on commercial development ($5 per square foot)

• Inclusionary housing in-lieu payments

• Tax increment financing from gentrifying areas

• Federal HOME and CDBG allocations

This fund will produce 1,000 affordable units annually, with priority for:

• Teachers, firefighters, and essential workers

• Seniors on fixed incomes

• Families displaced by gentrification

Timeline: Council vote Year 1, first units delivered Year 2 Impact: 5,000 affordable homes by 2030

3. Community Land Trust Expansion

Scale Houston's CLT from pilot to citywide program:

• Acquire 500 acres in gentrifying neighborhoods

• Partner with churches and nonprofits holding underutilized land

• Provide 99-year ground leases keeping homes permanently affordable

• Target Third Ward, Fifth Ward, Second Ward, and Near Northside

Funding: $50 million bond allocation plus land donations Goal: 2,000 permanently affordable homes by 2030

4. Tenant Protection and Anti-Displacement Package

Comprehensive protections including:

• Right to counsel for tenants facing eviction

• 90-day notice for rent increases over 5%

• Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) when buildings are sold

• Just-cause eviction standards

• Rental registry tracking ownership and conditions

Timeline: Ordinance introduction within first 100 days Cost: $5 million annually for legal services

5. Missing Middle Housing Initiative

Reform development codes to allow:

• Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by-right citywide

• Duplexes and triplexes in single-family zones

• Reduced parking requirements near transit

• Expedited permitting for affordable projects

Impact: 10,000 new naturally affordable units by 2030 Revenue neutral through increased property tax base