Although the City of Austin has recently seen declines in housing prices, working-class families continue to face displacement pressures, lack of quality housing options, and ongoing struggles to keep their families housed in Austin’s high cost of living. Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, along with all immigrants and communities of color, can feel these pressures acutely. The number of households falling into homelessness and the rate of evictions has now surpassed the city’s pre-pandemic average. These numbers show sharp geographic inequality, with higher rates of eviction occurring in the city’s eastern crescent.
How do current proposed city council policies, and potential future policies impact the lives of Austin’s residents struggling to find housing and keep their families housed? What can be done, and how can advocates continue to champion a vision for stable, dignified, and quality housing for everyone?