This story was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
America has a shortage of 7.2 million affordable homes, and 8.1 million Americans spend more than half of their income on housing, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Although the view on the streets might tell a different story, Houston has been able to decrease its homeless population by 53% since 2011, according to the annual data. In Dallas the trend is the opposite and housing affordability might make the problem even worse.
Maurice Cox, director of planning and development for the city of Detroit, Michigan, discusses creative design and community engagement as strategies for long-term equitable development.