In a state famous for affordability, people are beginning to ask a question more commonly associated with San Francisco or New York: Is Houston becoming home only to the affluent and the elite?
Monica Rhor provides feature-length, in-depth reporting on the changes occurring in parts of Houston and expected to continue in the future.
Rhor focuses most of the narrative in the article in the neighborhood of Shady Acres:
"Here, as in neighborhoods across Houston, gentrification has edged out longtime residents, lured in people who are younger, more affluent and mostly white, and driven up home values and property taxes. It is making neighborhoods like Shady Acres unaffordable not only for working-class folks but - increasingly - for middle-class families..."
According to Rohr, the city's gentrification is spreading from west to east, threatening "Houston's vaunted identity as an affordable place to live and, if left unchecked, could magnify the economic segregation and income inequality of a city already ranked high in both.
In addition to several interactive maps to illustrate the real estate trends of the city, Rohr also cites data from a report from Rice University's Shell Center for Sustainability, finding that selling prices for homes in the metro area "went up 10.2 percent from 2013 to 2014 and rents "climbed 4.8 percent from last year."
FULL STORY: Inside the Loop, affordable housing giving way to high-dollar development
Inequality Grows in Western Zoom Towns
As demand for housing grows, small Western towns are experiencing skyrocketing housing costs and rising displacement.
Philly Residents Push Back on New Historic Preservation District
Some residents of Philadelphia’s newly designated Washington Square West Historic District say the community was left out of the decision-making process that could impact housing costs and building requirements.
Displacement Fears in Lahaina
Economists warn that reconstruction could put new housing out of reach for long-time residents.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research