HOUSTON HOUSING COLLABORATIVE in partnership with Trinity United Methodist Church

HOUSTON MAYORAL FORUM 2023

Watch the video below to hear the candidates' responses to
important questions on housing related issues.

Trinity United Methodist Church 2600 Holman St, Houston, TX 77004

SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2023 @11:00a-12:30p

Through September’s Mayoral Forum on Affordable Housing in Houston, co-hosts HHC and Trinity United Methodist Church succeeded in putting housing issues on the radar of mayoral candidates. Prior to the forum, campaign materials of the leading candidates had not addressed housing as an issue. At the September 9 forum, leading candidates Robert Gallegos, Lee Kaplan, Sheila Jackson Lee, and John Whitmire responded to questions from the moderators for more than one hour. Over 200 attended the forum at Trinity Church in Third Ward and many others have watched via streaming.

 

In addition to candidates providing their views on Houston’s need for affordable housing, the forum secured commitments from each of these candidates to develop and implement a comprehensive housing plan in their first term in office. Commitments came both in person during the forum and through a written questionnaire responses that these candidates and two others submitted in advance of the event. The Collaborative encourages all Houstonians to vote when the city selects a new mayor in the November election and in a runoff which may follow in December. Watch a recording of the forum and view responses to the questionnaire on this website.

Watch the video below to see the candidates’ position on important housing related issues.

The Houston Mayoral Candidate Forum addressed crucial issues related to development of affordable housing, housing preservation, neighborhood protection, and overall quality of life. The forum provided a platform to enable attendees to gain a clear understanding of the candidates' positions on these vital policy imperatives.

The Houston Mayoral Candidate Forum created an opportunity for the community to engage with leaders as they address the pressing issues that define our city's housing ecosystem.

Delve into meaningful discussions about the development of affordable housing, ensuring the preservation of cherished neighborhoods, and the overall enhancement of our residents' quality of life. Be a part of the conversation that seeks to create a city where housing is not just a structure, but a cornerstone of thriving communities.

Your voice matters – let's build a Houston that's equitable, sustainable, and vibrant for all. Don't miss out on this crucial forum shaping the path to a better tomorrow!

Candidate Questionnaire Responses

Check out the candidate’s answers on important affordable housing questions!

Click each name below to reveal answer.

  • 1. Since its formation in 2016, the Houston Housing Collaborative has advocated for creation and implementation of a comprehensive housing plan for Houston. This would enable our city to plan strategically for long-term housing needs, consider options to help finance affordable housing, and promote inclusive and sustainable communities. Each of the nation’s cities larger than Houston have comprehensive housing plans. In addition, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio have adopted comprehensive housing plans including offering financial tools for development.

    1a: Would you support creating a housing plan for the City of Houston during your first term to address long-term housing issues?

  • YES!

  • I would support creating a housing plan for the City of Houston. I am currently building low-income housing in a disadvantaged area, investing in the quality of housing. We should reevaluate the permitting process. The permitting process should be faster and should not involve long wait periods

  • Yes. In Congress, I have introduced legislation to increase federal funding for affordable housing programs and to provide resources for community development initiatives. I have also fought for fair housing policies that prohibit discrimination and promote inclusive communities. My commitment to affordable housing and community redevelopment extends beyond mere rhetoric—I have consistently backed my words with concrete actions and legislation to address the root causes of these issues. I will also leverage my federal relationships at HUD to assist in the creation and implementation of a housing plan.

  • Yes. I believe having a housing plan would be a good step toward making progress on affordable housing in our city. I would seek input for all elements of our community in developing such a plan.

  • I’m deeply concerned by the increasing cost of housing in our city. Houston has thrived historically because of our affordability - working people move to Houston because they know the American dream is still possible here.

    Today, Houston has the highest housing cost burden in the Gulf Coast region, with residents spending nearly 40% of their income on housing every month. That means fewer dollars every month for childcare, for gas and groceries, for savings, and for money to enjoy life in our communities.

    I strongly believe that a comprehensive housing plan to address this growing crisis is essential. This plan should bring all stakeholders to the table - builders and developers, bankers and financiers, public and private leaders, and officials - but also renters and homeowners and the workers who build our homes.

    This is a complex problem, and one that requires all our collective efforts to solve. But plans aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on if they don’t have buy-in. If we’re going to tackle this together, we need to create a plan that we’re all committed to.

  • YES

  • 2b. Would you be willing to direct more City budget dollars to the preservation of existing housing?

  • YES!

  • I agree with the preservation of existing homes, however I think that money should prioritized to public safety and other city issues.

  • Right now, many homeowners in our city are being squeezed by increasing interest rates and property taxes, and far too many can’t afford necessary repairs. This impacts seniors living on a fixed-income worse of all.

    I believe it is essential that we do more to preserve and improve existing housing, as well as the condition of many of our apartment complexes. Far too many subsidized properties in Houston are basically uninhabitable.

    City resources should be committed to preserve and improve derelict buildings where possible, but we must also work with our state and federal partners to ensure that Houston gets its fair share of disaster recovery dollars and other funds. I believe the Inflation Reduction Act offers a unique opportunity to subsidize some home improvements for both homeowners and renters.

    This isn’t a problem that Houston can solve on its own - I have spent my years in office cultivating strong relationships across the aisle, and I will work with all partners to make sure all of our neighbors - especially seniors - live in homes that are safe.

  • I would be open to such allocation so long as basic city services such as police protection, infrastructure improvements, and trash removal are funded. I think the business community has not been sufficiently engaged by the current Administration and this is a very appropriate avenue for engagement that would (not coincidentally) allow it to demonstrate its commitment to seniors and disadvantaged residents, particularly in Third Ward. As Mayor, I would use my contacts with the business community and Third Ward leaders to make this happen.

  • I’m deeply concerned by the increasing cost of housing in our city. Houston has thrived historically because of our affordability - working people move to Houston because they know the American dream is still possible here.

    Today, Houston has the highest housing cost burden in the Gulf Coast region, with residents spending nearly 40% of their income on housing every month. That means fewer dollars every month for childcare, for gas and groceries, for savings, and for money to enjoy life in our communities.

    I strongly believe that a comprehensive housing plan to address this growing crisis is essential. This plan should bring all stakeholders to the table - builders and developers, bankers and financiers, public and private leaders, and officials - but also renters and homeowners and the workers who build our homes.

    This is a complex problem, and one that requires all our collective efforts to solve. But plans aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on if they don’t have buy-in. If we’re going to tackle this together, we need to create a plan that we’re all committed to.

  • YES

  • 2. Housing preservation is overlooked in Houston. Rebuilding Together Houston estimates over 57,000 low-income homeowners in the City of Houston need home repairs. Many of the older homes in Third Ward need significant repairs. We see many seniors and families living in homes that are hazardous to their health, including some living in homes that will not protect them in the next hurricane or major flood.

    2a: What would you do to prioritize neighborhood protection as a means to improve overall quality of life in our city?

  • YES!

  • Houstonians do not feel safe. I would work to bring back and expand community policing. I would hire more civilians to do civilian jobs which would make more officers readily available to respond to crime. I would also increase the fines for these crime issues.

  • (The candidate submitted a lengthy response with her overview shown below)

    Public safety is important to the survival of any neighborhood. Families should feel safe and protected in their homes and my Administration’s top priority will be tackling crime in our city and to send a strong message to the criminals that Houston is not open for their kind of business. We can accomplish this with the help of our Super Neighborhood organization as part of our community policing operations.

    (A detailed 9-point plan followed in the response, all focused on public safety related to neighborhood policing.)

  • We need to improve the quality of life for all who live here. In some cases that means building more affordable housing, and in other cases that means preserving the character of neighborhoods. This should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure everyone in our city has the opportunity for the best possible life in our city.

  • One of the biggest challenges we have in city government is balancing affordability and neighborhood character. I believe that our Housing and Community Development Department must implement a vision of neighborhood protection that respects and protects our communities while also encouraging building for the future.

  • Public safety is important to the survival of any neighborhood. Families should feel safe and protected in their homes and my Administration’s top priority will be tackling crime in our city and to send a strong message to the criminals that Houston is not open for their kind of business. We can accomplish this with the help of our Super Neighborhood organization as part of our community policing operations.

  • 3. Houston has been the second highest evicting city in the nation since 2020. Also, many of Houston’s landlords are individual owners of a few houses and are not large or corporate property owners.

    3a: To help tenants stay in their homes, do you support providing funding for legal assistance to households facing eviction?

  • YES!

  • I would work to collaborate with nonprofit organizations to help individuals that are facing evictions.

  • I support stronger landlord tenant laws governing the rights of both parties and in cases of economic hardship provide tenants with financial and legal support in a case-by-case basis based on certain determination factors.

  • I would support such funding so long as budget conditions allow.

  • Over the past three years, Houston has seen some of the highest rates of eviction filings nationwide. Tens of thousands of working families were at risk of losing their homes. But thanks to President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act, Houston and Harris County were able to partner to launch one an effective rental assistance and legal aid programs in the county, which helped over 80,000 families stay in their homes during the pandemic.

    Now that federal COVID stimulus funding has ended, we need to look to the future. Rising costs continue to put pressure on renters, leading many to end up in our courts facing eviction. I believe that we must expand legal assistance for renters who can’t afford representation. This is not just good for renters, but also for Houston’s taxpayers - many cities that have introduced legal aid programs have seen overall savings, with fewer residents using expensive social services.

  • I will make Houston business friendly city and work hard with local chambers of commerce and business groups to attract businesses to the city to expand our employment base, so people of all talents get well-paying jobs. I will work closely with groups who are providing low cost and pro-bono legal help to poor tenants facing evictions.

  • 3b. How will you balance the interests of tenants with those of small property owners who often do not have the resources to evict bad tenants?

  • Create an advisory board consisting of small property owners and tenants to help craft a plan of action to reduce evictions that is fair to both tenants and small property owners.

  • I sympathize with owners when dealing with bad tenants. I would work with local law enforcement to help protect their rights.

  • Small property owners should not have to bear the economic burden of losing income due to bad actors. We need stronger landlord tenant laws that gives property owners the ability to remove bad actors without causing them economic harm.

  • I will have an open-door policy as Mayor and will seek to pass ordinances that provide a fair process for all interested parties.

  • As a Senator, I’ve spoken with small property owners who deal with challenging tenants, and as an attorney, I’m very aware of how difficult the legal process can sometimes be to navigate.

    I believe by bringing everyone to the table––including housing and legal professionals, and renters and property owners––a legal assistance policy that strikes a fair balance for all stakeholders, protecting access to justice for both small property owners and low-income renters, can be found.

  • I will work with JP courts to efficiently dispose eviction cases in a timely manner with fairness to both sides.

  • Valuable Houston housing programs that promote affordable housing such as the Houston Community Land Trust and the Houston Land Bank have been in jeopardy of city funding cuts recently.

    4a: Do you support these housing tools and resources?

  • YES

  • Yes

  • Yes

  • I support them, but levels of funding will be dependent on budget constraints. See also my answer to No. 2 above.

  • We must use all of the tools available to us to expand access to homeownership. As Mayor, I intend to review our affordable housing toolkit in depth and assess the value and effectiveness of each current program.

    I strongly support the goals of the Houston Community Land Trust and Houston Land Bank to expand opportunities for Houston families in often neglected neighborhoods to purchase homes, particularly in communities that have historically experienced discrimination.

    As mayor, I intend to take on historical injustices and expand opportunity to every neighborhood in Houston - we can’t do that without supporting efforts that get at root causes driving housing costs up and preventing many from purchasing homes.

  • I will work with JP courts to efficiently dispose eviction cases in a timely manner with fairness to both sides.

  • 4b: If so, how would you ensure support for these resources until they can become self-sustaining?

  • Support them with Public and Private Partnerships.

  • We clearly need additional funding to meet the required needs, either through the public sources or the private sector. We also believe that we should look at models like the non-profit NACA that provide counseling, below market financing and modular home construction.

  • My Administration would make these programs a priority and I would leverage additional federal and private funding sources.

  • I believe we can support these programs by establishing more public-private partnerships. I would use my voice as Mayor to encourage more private entities to support these programs so more people take advantage of these resources.

  • I strongly believe that we should never start anything we don’t intend to finish. And that requires real planning and coordination among stakeholders, both local, state, and federal. We must have a comprehensive housing plan with real buy in from those stakeholders to expand access to affordable housing sustainably.

  • I will appoint highly experienced professionals from private sector single-family and multi-family development companies as well as community leaders working on affordable housing as board members of these entities. I will then ask them to exercise tax liens on abandoned properties to be used to develop low-income properties throughout blighted neighborhoods. These could be multi-family in areas where enough land could be assembled, or they could be affordable single-family homes. The single-family homes will be subject to sell only to first-time home buyers subject to a lease of the underlying land, as is the current practice. However, the land lease provisions will be modified to allow the new homeowners to build equity in the property, thus providing them with the financial benefits of owning a home upon the ultimate sale. Future sales will be restricted to first-time home buyers as well.

  • Affordable multi-family developments have been proposed in certain Houston areas where they faced backlash. Sometimes this results from lack of outreach by developers, but it may be a result of misguided notions from community residents about affordable housing that leads to NIMBY(Not in My Backyard) responses. These locations may offer residents access to better schools and other opportunities than where they had lived, which can improve their overall quality of life.

    5a: How would your administration work with affordable housing developers and the communities?

  • As a current city councilmember, I have worked on attracting affordable housing projects which include affordable housing projects for seniors. We have been very successful. The owners of the projects obtain government tax credits to help with the construction. These projects are contemporary apartments with amenities that would be built in many upscale neighborhoods. The residents are all very appreciative of their new apartments and make good neighbors. As mayor, I would continue with tax credits for these projects, and I would showcase and promote the current apartment homes to other neighborhoods so they may see these new chic apartments with their great tenants who add a rich culture to any neighborhood.

  • I have learned first-hand about the difficulties of building more affordable housing. I took it upon myself to develop affordable housing in the minority community and it took me almost a year to get the permits. That is not acceptable. We need the units to stabilize the neighborhood and to bring in additional property tax revenue.

  • First, we must prioritize the preservation of existing affordable housing throughout our wonderful neighborhoods. I will work to explore innovative strategies to expand affordable housing options throughout the city. I would support more multi-family housing and would work with housing developers along with the communities on the locating of affordable housing where it is beneficial for all parties and within the HUD federal guidelines.

  • First, we must improve the City’s permitting process, both as to speed and consistency of results. It simply takes too long for housing projects to be approved. Inspectors must have straightforward rules followed by all. Second, neighborhood impact is an important factor to consider. However, it can’t be the only factor. If our city is to thrive, we simply need more housing that people can afford.

  • Affordable housing development is incredibly challenging and requires a deep partnership between stakeholders to meet the needs of the community. The city must commit real resources and political capital to ensure that the pace of development meets the needs of all Houstonians. In order to do that, though, developers must also do the work to ensure the community has real input on new projects.

    Houstonians have come together plenty of times before to find a middle ground - I believe that’s always the best way to address the crises we face.

  • I will work with local developers to maximize the availability of low-cost land in areas with quality schools and access to employment and transportation. Without low-cost land, providing affordable housing becomes much more difficult. Building new affordable housing projects in high income neighborhoods without access to quality jobs and lack of transportation is self-defeating. Over-crowding of already crowded public schools does not solve any housing problems.

HOUSTON MAYORAL FORUM 2023

September 9th, 2023

11AM – 12:30 PM

Trinity United Methodist Church

2600 Holman St, Houston, TX 77004

Watch the video above to hear the candidates’ positions on vital policy imperatives on crucial housing issues.

For future sponsorship opportunities contact,
HHC Executive Director, Alan Watkins:
alan.watkins@houstonhousingcollaborative.org

Sponsorship Opportunities