Arts Attendance in Houston Houstonians value the arts in their communities, but socioeconomic barriers make engagement difficult While interest in the arts is high, residents of color aren’t always able to participate at the same rates as White residents. Why arts participation matters to Houston Houstonians are passionate about the arts. After all, there aren’t …
Category Archives: Sub Topic
Access to the Arts
Access to the Arts in Houston Spending on arts and culture is increasing in our region, but not at a pace consistent with our growing population While access to and interest in art and cultural organizations is generally increasing, the three-county area still lags behind the nation in overall support. Why access to arts matters …
Air & Water Quality
Air and Water Quality Air and water quality has improved over the last couple decades but remain at levels that can harm public health, particularly the most vulnerable. Despite improvement in air and water pollution levels in Houston’s three-county region over the last two decades, People of Color and low-income communities continue to bear a …
Climate Change and Renewable Energy
Climate Change and Renewable Energy As our region continues to experience the effects of climate change, the role of renewable energy sources grows more important. While current greenhouse gas emission levels in Greater Houston have remained flat in the last decade, our region has become hotter and wetter. Climate change risks are projected to increase …
Transportation Access
Transportation Access in Houston Our ability to easily access safe, affordable, and reliable transportation shapes how we interact with our larger community Houstonians tend to love their cars and love driving them. But they also have few other options to meet their transportation needs, forcing thousands of residents to bear the costs of a personal …
Housing Vulnerabilities
Housing Vulnerabilities Unsafe or unstable housing continues to threaten the health, well-being, and economic security of Houston-area residents. Many low-income households lack the necessary resources to afford soaring rents and bounce back from disasters, leaving them more vulnerable to unsafe housing conditions, eviction or even homelessness. Why housing vulnerabilities matter to Houston Hundreds of thousands …
Housing Affordability & Ownership
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 …
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 …