HOUSING

Austin joins at least 28 U.S. cities, like Los Angeles, Chicago and Pittsburgh, that have tried out some form of “guaranteed income” — financial assistance targeted at needy households.

With home prices, rent and evictions on the rise, one of the nation’s largest banks is investing in the future of affordable housing in Houston.

Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin all ranked among the top 10 cities for new eviction filings in early April, among the 31 cities tracked by Eviction Lab.

It’s unclear whether landlords face any penalties from state agencies for improperly evicting tenants while receiving rent relief dollars intended to help those tenants stay housed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city of Houston, Harris County and a non-profit have been working amid the pandemic to reduce the number of people who are homeless and in emergency shelters.

Twenty-five states, including California and New York, preceded Texas in getting federally backed programs up and running to help homeowners suffering financial hardship because of COVID-19.

For decades, the Pleasant Village apartments have served as a home for senior residents in Pleasantville. Now, many of them fear they will be evicted and displaced because of new ownership.

Renters are seeing their housing costs jump as population increases, strict zoning regulations and rising home sales push up rent prices.

Texas’ housing crunch has spread outside of the state’s major metropolitan areas and into more rural parts of Texas. Smaller cities and towns saw steep increases in home prices as COVID-19 spread.

Programs like the Houston Community Land Trust aim to help low-income residents buy homes and keep them affordable, while also breaking down misconceptions about affordable housing.

Evictions in major Texas cities have reached levels not seen since the pandemic began. But tenant protections and financial assistance for struggling renters are beginning to fade.

If you are a resident in Fort Bend or Montgomery County and have noticed a rise in new housing units popping up in your area, you are not just imagining things.

Housing advocates worry some Texans won’t get the help they need as the state enters the cold winter months.

¿Busca asistencia para pagar su renta? Esto es lo que sucede cuando se intenta acceder a los fondos de ayuda distribuidos entre ciudades y condados de Texas.

Houston Newsmakers: Houston attorney ‘a driving force’ behind tribute to Lyndon B. Johnson

Several Houston-area property managers have been charged by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with violating the Fair Housing Act.

Episode 2 of “Solutionaries” tackles the lack of affordable housing across America and highlights the people and organizations who are working to solve the crisis.

When you hear the term “affordable housing,” what do you think of?

There’s $1 billion in rental assistance available to struggling Texas tenants. But for many renters, getting the help they need depends on where they live.

Houston Newsmakers: Climate change’s impact on catastrophes

We’ve all heard about it by now: Houses are selling like crazy (and they have been for quite some time), interest rates have been at all-time lows, and it seems like everywhere you turn, you learn of another wild real estate story.

In the first phase of funding from the federal government for emergency rental assistance, Texas received about $2 billion. Now the state has to get those funds in the hands of Texans.

The extension comes as the federal moratorium on evictions is set to expire on July 31.

Houston’s city council announced Thursday that a $15 million loan to help fund a development project that aims to build an affordable housing complex in the Greenspoint area has been approved.

Houston Newsmakers: Harris County Democrats elect new party chair

Life expectancy declined more in the North West in 2020 than in England overall, a report finds.

The agency cited the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant as reason to keep the anti-eviction measure in place.

In their 23 years of marriage, the Kallals said they’ve never seen anything like Houston’s current housing market.

Current owners with a tight budget also could benefit with energy-efficient improvements.

The bill still needs final approval by the House — usually a formality after it's passed in the chamber's first vote — and then will head to the Senate.

There’s often no place like home, although that sentiment can sometimes fade when a house starts to rack up energy bills and breaks down in places over the course of time.

HOUSTON – Have you ever heard of a ‘barndominium?’It’s the latest housing trend that adds a modern twist to small-town farm-charm. Technically, the name does the describing: ‘barndominiums’ (or ‘barndos’) are big metal or steel structures that have been transformed into beautiful living spaces. Stacee Lynn, aka ‘The Barndominium Lady,’ has designed nearly 150 barndominiums all over the country, with no formal design training. She is a self-taught designer, contractor, and decorator…that designed, built, AND LIVES IN her own barndo in Cleveland, Texas. Stacee Lynn and her husband Oliver were nice enough to give us a tour of her magnificent Cleveland property, and with so many ‘wow!’ factors, you’re guaranteed to want one of your own.

Hers is one of 16,618 cases filed in Harris County since late March. Countless Zoom meetings later, they’ve made no recommendations that have made it out of the task force. 108,076 have received at least a one-time payment from the City of Houston or Harris County since early May. Harris County Precinct One Foundation has a Free Eviction Legal Assistance Hotline you can call if you are facing eviction. All of the $60 million from Harris County has been allocated, but you can contact Catholic Charities for other resources.

HOUSTON – Pasadena is one of America’s most affordable suburbs with a city feel, according to a report on the “Cityness Index” created by Zillow and Yelp Inc.Pasadena offers an affordability edge over Houston. The typical home value in Pasadena is $168,080, which is about 14% lower than in Houston, according to the report. Located about 15 miles southeast of downtown Houston, Pasadena is ranked No. 5 on the list of affordable suburbs. The flexibility to work from home occasionally amid the pandemic is driving more people to consider moving, per the report.

HOUSTON – As the economic crisis due to COVID-19 continues, more and more Houstonians are struggling to pay their bills, put food on their tables, and keep a roof over their heads. And to make matters worse, a new CDC moratorium is more confusing than helpful. But KPRC Channel 2 is here to help. Watch: Raising ‘good digital citizens’ and more from our Zoom conversation on cyberbullyingOur panel of experts answered questions to help people facing evictions. You can watch the entire discussion below:Resources from the conversationTexas HousersLone Star Legal AidEviction Defense Collaboration Hotline — (713) 982-7340Lone Star Legal Aid direct number — (713) 652-0077Access the CDC declaration forms in English, Spanish and VietnameseCDC suspende temporalmente los desalojos a inquilinos elegibles

As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: Are students locked into their housing contracts if classes go virtual due to COVID-19? Some Texas universities are waiving fees and requirements for students who chose remote learning or return home before their residential contracts expire. Students can have their cancellation fees waived if they choose to take their classes remotely. However, the University of Houston students who choose a spring-only housing option after cancelling fall housing will need to pay another $50 application fee, but do not need to pay the $300 prepayment.

As soon as you realize you might have trouble making your mortgage payments, you’ll want to get in touch with your lender. You do not want to wait until you can’t pay your bills to contact your lender. If foreclosure is something you fear you might face, the following are options you may have available to you. Mortgage forbearanceAccording to USA.gov, federally backed home loans can get six months of mortgage help, and Federal Housing Administration reverse mortgages are eligible, as well. There are many options available to you, but the bottom line is: Contact your lender, and do not wait until it’s too late.

Safe to say, a lot of people really buckled down when it came to cleaning over the past couple years, given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Housing's fitful rebound Buyers are eager, but tight credit and higher mortgage rates are holding some back, says Ronald Kaplan, CEO of decking company Trex