Austin, Texas is experiencing rapid population growth. The rising cost of housing in the Austin area is placing financial strains on many of the city’s residents, most notably low-income households. As a result of this continued shortage of reasonably-priced housing, 69% of renters spend more than 30% of their annual income on housing. In 2012, 52% of renters were forced to forego one or more basic necessities like food, healthcare, or clothing to afford housing costs. Consequently, a disproportionately high concentration of low-income families lives east of the I-35 corridor and away from economic activity, employment opportunities, and health and social services. Low-income families face substantial barriers to affordable housing and often reside in neighborhoods marked by higher unemployment, lower household income, lower educational attainment, and higher crime. The affordable housing crisis is not a problem unique to Austin, Texas or even the United States. Metropolitan areas around the globe are researching, analyzing, and debating the best way to provide adequate housing for low-income and vulnerable populations in a sustainable manner.

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