Despite concerted efforts to enhance the
availability of affordable housing in Houston, the city continues to grapple
with significant housing affordability issues. As plans to implement a
comprehensive housing plan gain traction at City Hall, it is imperative to reinforce
existing city initiatives to capitalize on the slow but steady momentum that
has been building around housing as a primary concern in recent years.
With the transition to a new mayoral
administration, it is crucial for the city to remain focused on addressing
broader housing challenges, especially considering external factors that could
exacerbate affordability issues. These risks include rising construction costs,
dwindling housing supply, and the looming threat of major storms that could
damage existing housing stock. Of particular concern is the prolonged interval since
the region’s last significant weather event, excluding the recent winter
freezes, which had a more muted impact on housing.
Since 2001, Houston has endured a series
of major storm events approximately every seven to nine years, including
Tropical Storm Allison (2001), Hurricane Ike (2008), and Hurricane Harvey
(2017), alongside noteworthy rain events such as the Memorial Day Flood in 2015
and the Tax Day Flood in 2016. Given this historical pattern, it is reasonable
to anticipate the likelihood of another significant storm or hurricane event occurring
within the next 18 to 30 months, necessitating foresight from public officials
as they address housing challenges in the region.
Should current housing trends persist, the
occurrence of a major storm event within the next two and a half years is
poised to exacerbate existing housing challenges for renters and prospective
homeowners. The abstract nature of housing affordability issues makes it
difficult to grasp this reality, heightening concerns that the most vulnerable
residents could be overlooked, mirroring the plight of those displaced by
Hurricane Harvey who continue to grapple with housing insecurity.
