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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The availability of decent, safe, and affordable |
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housing is essential for Texas families and communities to thrive |
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and prosper; and |
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WHEREAS, The United States Department of Housing and Urban |
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Development deems housing "affordable" when occupants pay no more |
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than 30 percent of household income for gross housing costs, |
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including utilities; families who must devote a greater proportion |
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of their budgets to housing are considered cost burdened, as they |
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may struggle to purchase such necessities as food, clothing, |
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transportation, and medical care; and |
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WHEREAS, The latest HUD data indicate that 12 million renters |
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and homeowners across the nation are severely burdened by housing |
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expenses that consume over 50 percent of their incomes, and more |
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than 2.5 million people are annually evicted from their homes; the |
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crisis is particularly acute for the very poor, minorities, and the |
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elderly; the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program was |
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designed to help those in greatest need, but the number of LIHTC |
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units being built has dwindled over the last two decades, and today, |
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vacancies are rare and waiting lists are long; and |
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WHEREAS, In Texas, 39 percent of households rent, and nearly |
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a quarter of those households are extremely low income; overall, |
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almost a third of households are housing-cost burdened, and the |
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current shortage of affordable homes is estimated at more than |
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626,000; and |
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WHEREAS, Historic factors in the lack of affordable housing |
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include segregation, the "redlining" process, in which banks |
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refused to issue home loans in minority neighborhoods, and other |
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forms of discrimination; in recent years, gentrification and wage |
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stagnation have exacerbated the problem; a 2017 report by the |
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Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found that Texas housing costs |
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jumped 34 percent between 2010 and 2015, while incomes rose by a |
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mere 14 percent; the report warned that declining housing |
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affordability has eroded the state's cost-of-living advantage and |
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imperils its long-term economic and population growth; and |
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WHEREAS, The lack of affordable housing has a profound impact |
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on health, child development, educational attainment, |
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socioeconomic mobility, and community safety and stability; |
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fortunately, Texas has a long tradition of investing wisely in |
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affordable housing, including both rental units and homes, and |
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continuing to expand this investment can assist families, |
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strengthen communities, and build a foundation for ongoing economic |
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prosperity; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 4 through 10, 2018, as Texas |
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Affordable Housing Week. |