The price of oil has been on a steady decline since 2014, and the housing markets of oil industry towns are on their own, similar slide.
"Home sellers are slashing prices and offering incentives to keep buyers from walking away from contracts as an 18-month oil slump buffets [Houston's] once-booming housing market," report Laura Kusisto and Kris Hudson.
The article provides data from the Commerce Department and Houston-area brokers as evidence for the decline of the real estate market: "Home-construction permits in the area plunged 26% from a year earlier in the third quarter, while December sales of existing single-family houses fell nearly 10% from the same month of 2014..."
The article connects the sluggish Houston real estate market with the ongoing oil industry slump, finding evidence of similar trends in other regions in Texas as well as Colorado and North Dakota. The article includes interviews with local residents about how they are coping with the economic downturn—both in terms of housing and employment.
FULL STORY: Oil Slump Hits Houston Home Market

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.

Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.

Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.

San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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
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