An adequate supply of affordable housing is necessary for any community to end homelessness. According to a fact sheet on homelessness compiled by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, “In 1970, there were 300,000 more affordable housing units available, nationally, than there were low-income households that needed to rent them. By 1995, there were 4.4 million fewer affordable units than low-income households that needed them.”

· In Texas, an extremely low income household (earning $16,061, 30% of the Area Median Income of $53,536) can afford monthly rent of no more than $402, while the Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom unit is $695. A unit is considered affordable if it costs no more than 30% of the renter's income.

· A minimum wage earner (earning $5.15 per hour) can afford monthly rent of no more than $268.

· An SSI recipient (receiving $552 monthly) can afford monthly rent of no more than $166, while the Fair Market Rent for a one-bedroom unit is $543.

· In Texas, a worker earning the Minimum Wage ($5.15 per hour) must work 104 hours per week in order to afford a two-bedroom unit at the area's Fair Market rent.

· The Housing Wage in Texas is $13.36. This is the amount a full time (40 hours per week) worker must earn per hour in order to afford a two-bedroom unit at the area's Fair Market rent. This is 259% of the minimum wage ($5.15 per hour). Between 2002 and 2003 the two bedroom housing wage increased by 1.36%.

These findings are documented in a national study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, entitled "Out of Reach: Rental Housing at What Cost?" The study draws on the most recent statistics from the US Census and HUD surveys. Additional housing statistics and analysis can be found on the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service website www.texashousing.org.

Helpful Housing Resources

Center for Community Change – technical assistance, public policy efforts, and targeted research and training on creating and preserving affordable housing. www.communitychange.org

Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) – helps communities create permanent housing with services to prevent and end homelessness www.csh.org

Housing and Population Data (U.S. Census) www.census.gov/main/www/srchtool.html

Housing Assistance Council – The nation's foremost research and advocacy organization on housing issues in rural areas. www.ruralhome.org

Housing Research Foundation – concentrates on research, technical assistance, and information about public housing. www.housingresearch.org/hrf/hrfhome.nsf

Housing Statistics (U.S. Census) – the other place to go for census data on housing www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing.html

Joint Center for Housing Studies – is Harvard University's center for information and research on housing in the United States www.jchs.harvard.edu

National Housing Institute (Shelter Force) – information concerning progressive housing policy in the US. www.nhi.org

National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) – the only national organization that is solely dedicated to ending America's housing crisis. www.nlihc.org

Neighborhood Works – promotes the creation of healthy communities through affordable housing, home ownership and investments in neighborhood revitalization. www.nw.org

Texas Low Income Information Service – supports low-income Texans' efforts to achieve the American dream of a decent, affordable home in a quality neighborhood. www.texashousing.org

Texas Housing Association – information, training, publications on public housing www.txtha.com

Texas Association of Community Development Corporations – a statewide association of organizations committed to improving low income communities. www.tacdc.org