Housing

Research

2024 Storm Impacts in Houston and Harris County: A Descriptive Overview

This brief provides an overview of the cumulative impact extreme weather had on Houston and Harris County residents from late April to early July.

BRIEF: March 13, 2025 HOUSING | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | HEALTH

Housing Affordability and Instability

Houston-area residents were asked how difficult it was in the past 12 months to afford housing costs, and if certain factors contributed to the difficulty they experienced

SURVEY SNAPSHOT: February 13, 2025 HOUSING

Neighborhood Opportunity Mapping

Researchers assisted the Houston Housing Authority in data collection and analysis to identify opportunity neighborhoods (areas with high-performing schools, low crime rates, access to jobs, and other characteristics).

BRIEF: October 14, 2024 HOUSING

Housing Repair Needs Reported by Residents of Houston and Harris County

The Kinder Institute surveyed Houston and Harris County residents in targeted neighborhoods about the condition of their homes and neighborhoods.

BRIEF: September 9, 2024 HOUSING

The 2024 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

The 2024 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston report explores the implications of increasing homeownership costs in the region.

REPORT: June 20, 2024 HOUSING

Kinder Houston Area Survey: 2024 Results

The 43rd annual Kinder Houston Area Survey provides an unparalleled look at current conditions in the region as well as the “Houston of Tomorrow.”

REPORT: May 20, 2024 EDUCATION | HOUSING | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The 2023 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

The 2023 State of Housing report builds on prior reports by focusing on renters and renting.

REPORT: July 25, 2023 HOUSING

Kinder Houston Area Survey: 2023 Results

The 42nd Kinder Houston Area Survey provides a glimpse into how Houstonians are thinking about the economy, affordable housing, inequality, and other critical challenges and issues facing their communities.

REPORT: May 15, 2023 DEMOGRAPHICS | HOUSING | PLACEMAKING

The 2022 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

The third annual State of Housing report looks at the pandemic's impact on the local housing market. The report also sets new housing baselines on mortgage loan data, homelessness and other housing indicators.

REPORT: June 22, 2022 HOUSING

Preserving Affordable Housing in Harris County

Kinder Institute researchers identify affordable housing preservation policies and programs in the Houston area, document the range and extent of affordable housing, and describe best practices that could help stem the loss of local affordable housing stock.

REPORT: November 16, 2021 HOUSING

The 2021 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

The 2021 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston report uses a range of indicators to track the challenges, opportunities and trends in the region’s housing system.

REPORT: June 22, 2021 HOUSING

Re-Taking Stock: Understanding How Trends in the Housing Stock and Gentrification are connected in Houston and Harris County

This report connects housing stock changes with gentrification patterns in Harris County.

REPORT: April 6, 2021 HOUSING

Texas Flood Registry 2020 Report

This report includes updates on Harvey’s long-term impact and recent findings about the health and housing effects of the May 2019 storms and Tropical Storm Imelda.

REPORT: August 25, 2020 HOUSING | HEALTH | HURRICANE HARVEY

The 2020 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

This first State of Housing report compares how dozens of key housing indicators in Harris County and Houston have shifted between 2010 and 2018.

REPORT: June 23, 2020 TRANSPORTATION | HOUSING

Where Affordable Housing and Transportation Meet in Houston

While local decision-makers and individuals tend to view housing and transportation separately, effectively addressing affordability for Houstonians means considering housing and transportation expenses together.

REPORT: May 5, 2020 TRANSPORTATION | HOUSING | URBAN DISPARITY

Urban Edge

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, explained

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is the largest federal initiative in the U.S. aimed at creating affordable rental housing, resulting in millions of units nationally, including tens of thousands in Harris County.

HOUSING FOUNDATIONS: April 10, 2025 HOUSING

Underfunded and imperfect, vouchers are an important piece of Houston’s housing affordability

The Houston Housing Authority (HHA) serves about 19,000 households with housing choice vouchers. The Harris County Housing Authority (whose service area excludes Houston, Pasadena and Baytown) supports another 4,500 households with vouchers. Collectively, that is nearly 10 times as many households as are served by public housing, making the voucher program an important — if imperfect — way of providing affordable housing.

HOUSING FOUNDATIONS: March 31, 2025 HOUSING

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.

INSIGHTS: March 20, 2025 HOUSING

Naturally occurring affordable housing is crucial to Houston’s low-income residents. Preserving it requires action.

In Harris County, about 320,000 low-income households are housing cost burdened, paying more than 30% of their income toward rent. Given the low number of subsidized housing units and vouchers available in the county, this population is increasingly reliant upon “naturally occurring affordable housing,” or NOAH.

HOUSING FOUNDATIONS: March 13, 2025 HOUSING

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.

RECAP: March 10, 2025 HOUSING

Events

Webinar: 2025 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

This webinar will share findings from the forthcoming 2025 State of Housing report. A panel discussion will follow.

WEBINAR: June 17, 2025 HOUSING

Kinder Institute Luncheon 2025

The 2025 Kinder Institute Luncheon will celebrate the institute's 15th anniversary. Findings from the 44th Kinder Houston Area Survey will also be shared.

LUNCHEON: May 19, 2025 EDUCATION | HOUSING | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Kinder Institute Forum: Elizabeth Korver-Glenn and Sarah Mayorga

Sociologists Elizabeth Korver-Glenn and Sarah Mayorga will be in conversation with Kinder Institute Director Ruth N. López Turley about how Houston can better guide neighborhood investment.

KINDER INSTITUTE FORUM: March 6, 2025 HOUSING

Webinar: 2024 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

This webinar will focus on findings from the 2024 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston report. A panel discussion with local experts will follow.

WEBINAR: June 20, 2024 HOUSING

Kinder Institute Luncheon 2024

The 2024 Kinder Institute Luncheon will honor Dr. Marc. L. Boom, president and CEO of Houston Methodist. Findings from the 43rd Kinder Houston Area Survey will also be shared.

LUNCHEON: May 20, 2024 EDUCATION | HOUSING | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Webinar: 2023 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

This webinar includes a summary of the 2023 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston report. A panel discussion with local experts will follow.

WEBINAR: September 20, 2023 HOUSING

Webinar: 2022 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

The Kinder Institute for Urban Research shares findings from the third State of Housing in Harris County and Houston report.

RESEARCH: June 22, 2022 HOUSING

Urban Reads: Rachel T. Kimbro

Sociologist Rachel T. Kimbro discusses her new book, “In Too Deep: Class and Mothering in a Flooded Community.”

URBAN READS: February 17, 2022 HOUSING | HURRICANE HARVEY | PLACEMAKING

Webinar: Preserving Affordable Housing in Harris County

This panel discussion focuses on how Houston can stem the loss of affordable housing amid rising land values and demand.

RESEARCH: November 16, 2021 HOUSING

Kinder Institute Forum: Antoine Bryant

Planner and community advocate Antoine Bryant discusses his work on affordable housing, equitable development and community-led design.

KINDER INSTITUTE FORUM: November 10, 2021 HOUSING | PLACEMAKING

Urban Reads: Elizabeth Korver-Glenn

Elizabeth Korver-Glenn discusses her book, "Race Brokers: Housing Markets and Segregation in 21st Century Urban America."

URBAN READS: October 13, 2021 HOUSING

Webinar: 2021 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

Join the Kinder Institute for Urban Research as it shares findings from its second State of Housing in Harris County and Houston report.

RESEARCH: June 22, 2021 HOUSING

The Metropolitan State of Texas: Securing the State's Prosperity and Competitiveness

The LBJ Urban Lab at The University of Texas at Austin, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University and the George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative convened the state's top urban policy researchers for a summit addressing the most important issues in Texas cities: economic development, land use, housing, infrastructure and transportation.

RESEARCH: March 24, 2021 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | HOUSING | TRANSPORTATION

Workshop: 2020 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

This workshop shares findings from the Kinder Institute's 2020 State of Housing report. Panelists also discuss the current housing situation in Houston during COVID-19