As affordability wanes, Houston and Harris County renters face crowding, cost burdens
The Kinder Institute’s second annual “State of Housing” report comes as Houston—and much of the country—remains in the midst of a residential real estate bonanza. A yearlong buying spree, fueled by a combination of factors, is driving the country to historically low inventory levels and propelling prices ever higher.
Surveying Houston’s progressive shift through 40 years of data
Houston, a quintessentially free-enterprise, anti-government city, is increasingly recognizing the critical role of government in strengthening the safety net, expanding opportunity and building resiliency, according to the Kinder Houston Area Surveys.
The killing of George Floyd altered views of racial discrimination in Houston
The 2021 Kinder Houston Area Survey shows a striking uptick among white and Hispanic residents in their acknowledgment of racial injustice and the discrimination that Black Americans face.
As the devastating COVID-19 pandemic slowly dissipates, the 2021 Kinder Houston Area Survey results reflect the disproportionate impact it had on Hispanics and African Americans in the Houston area. This year’s survey also shows positive ratings for the economy and changes in attitudes about racial injustice and discrimination against Black residents.
‘Detached townhomes,’ gentrifying the gentrifiers and housing regulation that is uniquely Houston
The Kinder Institute’s “Re-Taking Stock” report reveals the good, the bad and the best about the city’s housing growth patterns. When it comes to urban infill, there is a lot going right in city, but that doesn’t mean everything is perfect.
Across Texas, more and more English learner students find the language barrier harder to overcome
New research from the Houston Education Research Consortium shows that — in both urban and nonurban parts of the state — students learning English are taking longer to become proficient. Texas needs to act now to address the problem and help these students avoid long-term struggles in school.
In Houston and everywhere else, (lot) size matters
The development of townhomes in Houston predominantly has taken place in high-amenity neighborhoods where gentrification has already occurred. The latest report from the Kinder Institute also shows new townhome construction is growing in at-risk neighborhoods, a trend that appears to be speeding gentrification in those communities.
English learners who have trouble moving on to English-only classes often have issues with low grades and test scores, and are at greater risk of dropping out. New data analysis from the Houston Education Research Consortium shows that, since 2007, there has been a significant increase in the number of Houston-area students who are taking longer than five years to learn English.
If they build it, will gentrification come?
A newly released Kinder Institute report examines how different types of housing development impact gentrification patterns in Harris County.
A blueprint for continued economic prosperity in Texas
Texas metros are the engines driving the state’s robust economy. To ensure things run smoothly in the future, metropolitan areas need to be at the center of state policy. The collaborative Texas Metropolitan Blueprint provides a plan for continuing and building on the metropolitan progress that benefits the entire state.
3 ways the city can help Houstonians better prepare for the next pileup of disasters
With more extreme weather events and disasters in our future, we need to change how our city prepares for these shocks and their long-lasting impacts so that Houstonians will take disaster preparedness more seriously.
One year in, what progress has Houston made in its plan to build resilience?
In 2020, the City of Houston and regional stakeholders cemented a resilience strategy and a climate action plan, which were adapted to reflect COVID-19’s impact on urban life. The Kinder Institute has gathered information and updates on the progress made in the first year of these efforts in one place.
The US needs a bottom-up plan to fix its glaring infrastructure needs
A major, federally led infrastructure strategy is vital to meeting the nation’s challenges. A new Kinder Institute report shows that to be truly responsive to the needs of America’s cities and regions, a bottom-up consultation process with regional and local leaders and a focus on three priorities will be necessary.
A data-driven approach to combating food insecurity worsened by COVID-19
In August, Urban Harvest launched its mobile market to bring healthy and affordable food options to underserved areas with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The nonprofit collaborated with the Kinder Institute’s Houston Community Data Connections to create a data-based decision support tool that helps ensure the mobile market is being dispatched to areas of Houston where residents need it the most.
House Bill 5 may create separate and unequal college paths for Texas students
Differences in course requirements across endorsements appear to provide some students a more direct path to selective four-year colleges and universities than other endorsements. What can school districts in Texas do to help students and families deal with these discrepancies?
Rice University
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