Hurricane Harvey Hits Low-Income Families Hardest
Thousands of Houstonians are experiencing disruption and loss in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, but low-income households, mostly comprised of people of color, are facing the most significant challenges, according to a new report from the Urban Institute. Houston Must Plan An Inclusive Recovery finds that Hurricane Harvey destroyed several of Houston’s largest affordable housing complexes, leaving low-income families to compete for fewer habitable units. The Houston Housing Authority already had long waiting lists for public housing programs and housing inequity will be exacerbated by Hurricane Harvey, according to the report. The authors argue that efforts to rehouse displaced residents will require long-term federal investment.