For low-income Houstonians, securing rental assistance has become more difficult. The Houston Housing Authority (HHA), facing a financial shortfall, has been unable to issue new housing choice vouchers. A Click2Houston investigation revealed mismanagement of funds and a leadership change.
The Houston Housing Authority's waitlist, closed since 2018, has over 150,000 households competing for just 19,000 vouchers. The new HHA president and CEO told Click2Houston that the freeze on applications will likely continue until the end of the year or into the next, unless new allocations are received from HUD.
As rents in Houston rise, housing assistance options are becoming more limited, with over half of Harris County renters spending more than a third of their income on housing. The growing cost of living in the city has raised concerns, as noted by Amy Connolly from the city's Housing and Community Development Department. According to a report from the Houston Landing, the median rent cost has seen a near 30 percent increase, spiking to over $1,100 between 2015 and 2021.
The Houston Housing Authority currently has around 18,900 active vouchers, with a similar number of applicants on its waitlist since December 2023. Meanwhile, the Harris County Housing Authority offers nearly 5,000 vouchers to residents outside Houston city limits. Connolly said, "There are just not enough apartments available at a leasing rate that people can afford," as reported by Houston Landing.
Houston residents can seek housing assistance from the Houston Housing Authority via their Contact Us page or by calling 713-260-0500. Harris County residents can contact the Harris County Housing Authority through their Contact Us page, emailing [email protected], or calling 713-578-2100. Both the city and county's housing and community development departments also handle inquiries through their websites and contact channels.
Editor's note: The headline of this article has been updated for accuracy.
