Annise Parker,
Houston
There’s been a dramatic reduction in the number of homeless people in Houston in the last four years.
Overall, homelessness has declined by 37%, and long-term homelessness is down even more, 57%, since 2011.
Those are good numbers for Annise Parker, who is in her third and final term as mayor and has set a goal of ending chronic homelessness in the city.
With its strong economy, Houston is a fast-growing community. The metro area gained a stunning 156,000 residents between 2013 and 2014.
However, the influx of people is putting increasing pressure on the city’s housing market, especially the demand for affordable homes.
“Houston’s housing stock generally has been more affordable to more of our citizens, and the affordability of the housing stock for all of our citizens is one of our strengths,” Parker tells AHF. “In recent years due to our tremendous economic and population growth, Houston has experienced increases in home prices and apartment rents that are impacting all of our citizens.”
She says her administration is encouraging community revitalization in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods that are moving upward due to recent private and public investments. The city reports investing about $287 million in recent disaster recovery funds to revitalize some of these targeted neighborhoods.
Parker is hoping to see developers build more affordable housing in these Houston neighborhoods as well as focus on developments that target the most vulnerable citizens, including the chronically homeless and those living at or below 30% of the area median income.
Although her time as mayor is coming to a
close, this may not be the last time we see Parker. She may have her eyes set
on new and bigger office. Perhaps, governor?
