Housing Vulnerabilities in Houston

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 of Houston-area residents face housing insecurity, vulnerability and inequity. For the most part, these are our neighbors who are burdened by housing costs, face economic insecurity, and have been negatively impacted by multiple devastating disasters. These challenges ultimately increase a household’s vulnerability to the next crisis, which can perpetuate a cycle of housing challenges and instability.

When housing prices rise faster than income growth and more households are forced to allocate more than 30% of thier income to housing, the result is heightened housing insecurity and vulnerability. Natural disasters also contribute to housing vulnerabilities because they tend to damage or destroy the “naturally occurring” supply of affordable housing. Houston-area households have been hit with multiple devastating crises such as Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the COVID-19 pandemic, Winter Storm Uri in 2021, and Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Research has found that neighborhoods with greater pre-existing housing inequities see such inequities exacerbated by disasters because the homes are less able to withstand or recover from flooding or strong winds in the first place — for several reasons, including location (e.g., in a floodplain), infrastructure disinvestment (e.g., lack of storm drainage), use of low-quality materials, or because of damage caused by previous disasters. These obstacles can lead to unsafe and unsanitary housing conditions, overcrowding, evictions, or even homelessness.

By exploring and understanding housing vulnerabilities in Houston, we can take informed action to increase access to disaster-resilient, safe and affordable housing throughout our region.

The data

Fort Bend County saw an increase in the number of housing units with problems.

Low-income households are more likely to sacrifice quality for cost by living in housing units that have structural issues or deficiencies. Housing problems include units with an incomplete kitchen that lacks running water, stove, or refrigerator, or plumbing that lacks hot and cold piped water, a flush toilet, or a bathtub/shower.

Housing problems contribute to various health conditions, injuries and poor childhood development. Plumbing issues increase the likelihood of water leaks that promote the growth of mold, which negatively affects respiratory health and increases the likelihood of asthma. Corroded plumbing can increase the risk of lead exposure or poisoning.1

About 0.4% of occupied housing units in Greater Houston (nearly 9,000 homes) did not have complete plumbing, and 0.7% (over 17,000 units) did not have a complete kitchen. Breaking down the data by county in 2023: Nearly 800 units had incomplete plumbing and 1,800 had incomplete kitchens in Fort Bend County; nearly 7,500 units had incomplete plumbing and over 14,000 had incomplete kitchens in Harris County; and over 650 units had incomplete plumbing and 1,100 had incomplete kitchens in Montgomery County.

While Houston-area renters are generally more likely to have incomplete kitchens than homeowners, the number of Houston-area housing units with housing problems increased more for homeowners than renters in 2021. This is likely the result of record-breaking Winter Storm Uri that knocked out power and water, caused frozen pipes to burst, and flooded homes across Texas for nearly five days in February 2021. Harris County experienced the worst effects of the storm, but homeowners in Montgomery County experienced the greatest increase in housing problems. Between 2019 and 2021, the number of housing units with incomplete plumbing increased 66% in Houston’s three-county region compared to 13% across the nation; and the number of housing units with incomplete kitchens increased 22% in the region while it remained flat nationally.

Read more about the impact of natural disasters in Houston

Between 2019 and 2021, the number of housing units with incomplete plumbing increased 66% in Houston’s three-county region compared to 13% across the nation

However, the number of housing units with incomplete plumbing did decrease between 2021 and 2023 for Harris and Montgomery counties as well as the state. During this time, Fort Bend County saw an over 880% increase in the number of housing units with incomplete plumbing compared to a 5% increase across the country. Similarly, between 2021 and 2023, Fort Bend County saw a 250% increase in housing units lacking a complete kitchen, compared to a 10% increase in Harris County, 7% in Texas, and 5% across the U.S. In contrast, Montgomery County experienced a 53% decrease in such units.

One out of 10 Houston-area households that rent are overcrowded

Overcrowding refers to the compromised health and safety conditions that can occur when many people live in a given space (one or more occupants per room). Families will often crowd in with relatives and friends to avoid homelessness, but people need sufficient space to meet their basic needs. Studies have shown that overcrowding can have a negative impact on physical and mental health, and that it can impede early childhood growth, development and education.2

Overall, 6% of occupied housing units in Houston’s three-county area are considered overcrowded in 2023, compared to 5% statewide and 4% nationally. Overcrowding is a bigger issue among renters than homeowners — about 10% of Houston-area renter households are overcrowded compared to 3% of homeowners.

Among the three counties, Harris County has the most overcrowding. Nearly 7% of occupied housing units in Harris County are overcrowded, compared to 3% in Montgomery and Fort Bend counties.

Since 2010, overcrowding rates have decreased across the state and each of the three counties. However, the number of overcrowded housing units has stagnated in Montgomery County while it has decreased 21% in Fort Bend County, 26% in Harris County, 20% across Texas, and 19% across the U.S.

Eviction filings in Houston surpass pre-pandemic levels

An eviction filing is a legal process in which a landlord delivers a written “notice to vacate” and files legal action to evict a tenant from a rental property. Many eviction filings happen because the tenant is late in paying rent, not paying rent at all, or for other reasons listed in the terms of the lease agreement such as damage to the property or illegal use of the property. However, in most American cities and towns—including Houston—landlords can evict renters even if they have not missed a rent payment or otherwise violated their lease agreement; these are called “no fault” evictions, according to Eviction Lab at Princeton University.

Increasing housing cost burden, job loss or low wages, and an overall lack of affordable housing are among the root causes of evictions. Low-income families, low-income women, domestic violence survivors, and families with children are at high risk for eviction. Evictions force families from their community and support network, and children often have to switch schools. It can also cause job loss, adverse mental health effects, and the loss of possessions. Moreover, evictions can prolong a family’s residential instability as it harms the ability to secure future housing (because of court records) and forces low-income families into a devastating cycle of homelessness, problems that often take years to overcome, if at all.3

During the COVID-19 pandemic, evictions were suspended across Texas from March 19 to May 18, 2020, though landlords could still give notice of eviction to tenants and file for eviction. In fact, more than 1,500 eviction cases were filed in Harris County during this period, according to January Advisors. Despite the CDC eviction moratorium that took effect on September 4, 2020, only 13% of defendants in Harris County benefited from the mandate. While the suspension of evictions and federal moratorium didn’t completely halt new eviction filings, these protections—bolstered by a surge in funding for rental assistance programs—significantly reduced the number of monthly eviction filings in Houston between March 2020 and December 2021.

During this period, monthly eviction filings consistently fell below pre-pandemic averages for the same month. However, starting in January 2022, local eviction filings have since begun to surpass their pre-pandemic levels. As of September 2024, monthly eviction filings in Houston have not returned to pre-pandemic levels likely due to several factors such as a growing number of residents living below the poverty line, soaring housing costs for renters, and a higher rate of residents being burdened by housing costs. In 2023, there were 84,000 eviction filings in Houston compared to a pre-pandemic yearly total of 58,000.

Read more about the impact of COVID-19 on evictions in Houston

In 2023, there were 84,000 eviction filings in Houston compared to a pre-pandemic yearly total of 58,000

Homelessness in the Houston area falls 63% in the last decade

Research has shown that homelessness has long-term consequences, especially to one’s physical and mental health.4,5 Additionally, the public costs incurred from homelessness can be significant for both health and human services and law enforcement.

According to HUD, there are four categories of homelessness: 1) people who lack nighttime residence and are living in a place not meant for human habitation; 2) those at imminent risk of homelessness and about to lose their home without any other resource; 3) unaccompanied youth under the age of 25 with no stable housing; and 4) people who flee domestic violence with no other residence or support network.

Additionally, people who experience homelessness can be classified as “sheltered” or “unsheltered.” People who are sheltered (whether they are staying at a homeless shelter in Houston or sleeping on a friend’s couch), typically reside in an emergency shelter or transitional housing, while people who are unsheltered reside in a place not meant for human habitation, such as outdoors or in a condemned building.

How many people are experiencing homelessness in Houston? Since 2011, homelessness in Harris County has fallen from 8,000 to under 3,000 in 2024. That’s a 63% decrease, while Fort Bend has seen a 90% decline. The number of people experiencing homelessness in Montgomery County has seen an overall increase since 2017, when data started being reported. Even more significant, levels of homelessness in our region fell during a period characterized by one of the largest increases in population in Houston.

63% decline in Houston-area homelessness between 2011 and 2024

Certain groups remain at greater risk of experiencing homelessness than others. What percentage of homeless people are veterans in Greater Houston? Among the people who experienced homelessness in Houston’s three-county region in 2023, 9% were veterans. Additionally, 6% were unaccompanied youth, and 17% were considered chronically homeless. HUD defines chronically homeless as experiencing homelessness for at least 12 months or on at least four separate occasions in the last three years (for a total of 12 months). The rate of people who are categorized as chronically homeless in Greater Houston was lower than the state (18%) and the nation (24%).

The Coalition for the Homeless surveyed people who experienced homelessness in Houston’s three-county area for the annual homeless count and survey, also known as the Point-in-Time Count (PIT), on January 22, 2024. The report found 15% of people experiencing homelessness in the Houston area are under the age of 18, and 79% are over the age of 24; 57% of the local homeless population is Black and 26% is white. Additionally, 33% suffer from a serious mental illness; 26% suffer from a substance use disorder; 13% are victims/survivors of domestic violence, and 2% are HIV-positive.

Helpful Articles by Understanding Houston:

Resources

References:

  1. World Health Organization & World Plumbing Council. (‎2006)‎. Health aspects of plumbing. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/43423
  2. Solari, C. D., & Mare, R. D. (2012). Housing crowding effects on children’s wellbeing. Social science research, 41(2), 464–476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2011.09.012
  3. Desmond, M., Gershenson, C., & Kiviat, B. (2015). Forced Relocation and Residential Instability among Urban Renters. Social Service Review, 89(2), 227–262. https://doi.org/10.1086/681091
  4. Currie, J., & Tekin, E. (2015). Is There a Link between Foreclosure and Health? American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 7(1), 63–94. https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20120325
  5. Shinn, M., Schteingart, J. S., Williams, N. C., Carlin-Mathis, J., Bialo-Karagis, N., Becker-Klein, R., & Weitzman, B. C. (2008). Long-Term Associations of Homelessness With Children’s Well-Being. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(6), 789–809. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764207311988
  6. Analysis of 2020 data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) because the data for 2021 did not include unsheltered counts in its report due to COVID-19 restrictions.