Thanks to a construction boom, the city is no longer the most expensive housing market in Texas.

Rent prices in Austin, Texas have declined for a 19th straight month amidst a national housing crisis, reports Joshua Fetcher in Governing. “Surrounding suburbs like Round Rock, Pflugerville and Georgetown, which saw rents grow by double-digit percentages amid the region’s pandemic boom, also have seen declining rents.”
Experts attribute the drop in housing costs to a “massive apartment building boom” that brought tens of thousands of new housing units to the metro area. However, “It’s unclear how long the downward trend in Austin rents will last. While nearly 17,000 apartments are under construction, according to MRI data, builders have pulled back on new projects amid the glut.”
Skyrocketing costs during the pandemic led to a shift in policy, enabling zoning reform that allowed for more construction. However, rents remain roughly 17 percent above pre-pandemic levels, and almost half of the region’s renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing.
Landlords are also filing evictions at a higher rate than before the pandemic, and the number of unhoused people in Austin grew in 2024.
FULL STORY: After Skyrocketing, Rents in Austin Have Dropped 19 Straight Months

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Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

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Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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