Housing Affordability & Ownership Housing is the single largest expense for most households and has become less affordable for renters. Homeownership rates in Houston’s three-county region have not budged from what they were about a decade ago, and they remain disproportionately low among low-income and non-white households. More households are more likely to rent, reflecting …
Category Archives: Topic
Housing
Understanding Housing in Houston Access to affordable and safe housing is critical to the health, quality of life, and well-being of all residents. Hundreds of thousands of Houston-area residents face housing insecurities, vulnerabilities, and inequities. Many of our neighbors are burdened by housing costs and economic insecurity, and they have been negatively impacted by multiple …
Health Risks & Outcomes
Health Risks & Outcomes Despite reductions in cancer mortality and lower rates of premature death than the state and nation, a sizable percentage of Houstonians continue to experience poor physical health and well-being More Houstonians have become sedentary, food insecure, unwell, obese and diabetic in recent years, with people of color disproportionately burdened by health …
Mental Health
Mental Health Mental health problems are very common in the Houston region, yet Texans continue to struggle in accessing mental health care Our region has seen a recent increase in mental distress frequency, drug use and suicides, exacerbating the existing mental health challenges across the Houston region. While the number of mental health care workers …
Health Care Access
Health Care Access Too few Houston-area residents are able to access affordable, high-quality health care consistently, contributing to poor health outcomes for a significant portion of our neighbors Uninsured rates in the three-county Houston region have steadily increased since 2016, while physician availability and preventable hospital stays have improved. Why access to health care matters …
Health
Understanding Health in Houston The physical and mental health and well-being of all Houstonians is essential to a thriving, equitable region. In addition to genetics, our physical and mental health status is shaped by our environment, ability to access affordable high-quality health care, and ease/depth of access to critical resources, like parks, fresh food and …
Funding, Enrollment & Teachers
Funding, Enrollment & Teachers A thriving public school system requires sufficient funding, robust student enrollment and effective teachers The COVID-19 pandemic upended student enrollment and had a significant effect on teachers just as HB3 increased funding to public schools. Why school funding, enrollment, and teachers matter to Houston Public schools need students, teachers, and money. …
Post-secondary Education
Post-secondary Education The continued shift to a knowledge-based economy means the best opportunities for job prospects and upward mobility will require education and training beyond high school Rates of college readiness and enrollment in the region are stagnant or in decline, and not enough Houston-area students earn post-secondary credentials after high school. The effects of …
Academic Outcomes
Academic Outcomes How well students perform throughout elementary, middle and high school has profound effects on other important areas of their lives Academic outcomes for students in Houston’s three-county region have suffered since the pandemic, and they weren’t that great to begin with. Students of color and from low-income households have experienced the greatest disparities …
Educational Attainment
Educational Attainment An indicator correlated with many life outcomes, educational attainment profoundly affects individual and regional prosperity Though the average Houstonian today has more education than they did 10 years ago, significant disparities across race/ethnicity persist. Why educational attainment matters to Houston The benefits of obtaining an education beyond the 12 mandatory years extend not …