Bureaucracy, stigma keep public assistance out of reach for thousands of Houstonians
Harris County residents miss out on nearly $1 billion in unclaimed government assistance every year, according to an estimate by Connective, a Houston-based nonprofit that is trying to address the problem even as federal efforts could erode these resources.
‘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.
Cuts to SNAP would impact hundreds of thousands of Houston households
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s most significant anti-hunger program, could soon see a $230 billion funding reduction if current federal priorities move forward. This move could impact millions of Texans, including hundreds of thousands of Houston-area families.
When disaster strikes, the immediate focus is often on safety and repairing physical infrastructure to get homes and business back up and running—reinforcing buildings, restoring power grids and clearing debris. An equally important component of recovery is social infrastructure—the networks, trusted relationships, institutions, and places that enable communities to support each other—particularly in times of crisis.
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.
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