‘Vulnerable people in vulnerable places’: How costs and climate collide in Houston’s housing system
More than half a million residents in Harris County and Houston live in neighborhoods facing a triple threat of flooding, extreme heat and poor air quality, according to a new analysis by the Center for Housing and Neighborhoods at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Houston’s 15-year growth in three charts
Houston’s standing as the country’s fourth-largest city has been a constant for more than four decades.
Q&A: New Houston Housing Authority CEO Jamie Bryant seeking to fast-track affordability
About 1 in 6 Harris County residents believe the cost of housing is the biggest problem facing the area, according to the 2025 Kinder Houston Area Survey. Amid federal budget uncertainty, the new CEO of the Houston Housing Authority says local solutions and resources will matter even more.
From immigration to inequality to infrastructure: 5 ways Houstonians clearly agree
The 2025 Kinder Houston Area Survey, the largest edition in its history, revisits neighboring Fort Bend and Montgomery counties for the first time since 2018. And despite the survey’s expanded reach and the divisiveness of the current political landscape, researchers found several areas with profound agreement among residents.
For many of the nearly 177,000 students in Houston ISD, access to food, clothing, shelter, health care, school supplies and other resources poses a barrier to success in the classroom. The district is counting on its Sunrise Centers to help meet those needs — and a research partnership to ensure they deliver meaningful impact on student outcomes.
A Kinder Institute survey found 1 in 6 Harris County residents are unbanked — lacking a checking or savings account.
‘You have to take care of people first’: Ric Campo on leadership and Houston’s path ahead
Through a variety of civic and corporate roles, Ric Campo has played a pivotal part in shaping Houston’s growth, fostering economic development, and enhancing the city’s profile nationally and abroad.
Houston region projected to attract millions more residents by 2050. Will it maintain its appeal?
Last year, Harris County experienced the largest raw population increase in the nation, contributing more than half of the metro area’s nearly 200,000 new residents. Projections released in February indicate the region will gain millions more people over the next 25 years.
Rising cost of utilities adds to housing affordability woes in Harris County
Nearly 70% of Harris County residents faced some level of difficulty affording their housing costs in 2024, according to a Kinder Institute survey. Among those who did, high utility bills were the most common contributing factor.
Rising costs and affordable housing challenges threaten urban areas in Texas
Cities in Texas are in the midst of an escalating housing crisis. Affordability is slipping even in Houston, one of the least expensive large cities in the U.S., said Caroline Cheong, Kinder Institute for Urban Research associate director of housing and neighborhoods.
Houstonians' tolerance for higher taxes and fees could soon be tested by city's budget woes
Yes, Houston is facing an exorbitant budget deficit. But residents still want a better city.
Data-driven strategies highlight the complexity and impact of nonprofit work in Houston
For several generations, the Alexander Jewish Family Service has provided an array of social services to people in need.
Religious identities shift in Houston and the U.S. with rise of the ‘nones’
In the last 15 years, more Houstonians have become religiously unaffiliated, according to the Kinder Houston Area Survey. In the 2009 survey, 54% of respondents identified as Protestant and 31% as Catholic. In 2024, Protestants decreased to 38% and Catholics to 26%.
Harris County contends with shortage of mental health workers despite landmark state investment
One of the barriers to accessing mental health care in Harris County and across Texas is a workforce shortage in the field.
Advocates for the homeless set for Houston’s annual count with funding, plan of action in flux
Next week, over 400 volunteers with the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County will conduct the annual point-in-time count to determine if homelessness is increasing or decreasing in the area.
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