Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.head.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_global_js_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_global_js.html"); ?>
<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.head.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }'include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.head.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_global_js_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_global_js.html"); ?>
<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.head.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }'include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 53 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.head.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }'include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.head.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.root.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }'include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 54 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:
My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.
I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.
Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.
AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.
While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas by 42% between 2012 and 2022.
In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:
All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:
In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.
This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the AARP Texas page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.
Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Zoom
Online Event
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET
YouTube and TV
Online Event
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET
Zoom
Online Event
This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.
Don't miss out, join today and save!
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer.html"); ?>
<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Blacksburg, VA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer.html"); ?>
<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Blacksburg, VA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Blacksburg, VA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Blacksburg, VA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]Code Contextinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Blacksburg, VA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]Code Contextinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 11/07/24 </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.</b></h3></span></span><p></p><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Nov. 7, 2024</b></h3></span></span><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><h3 class="inline-heading"><b>Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal Strategy, AARP Texas</b></h3></span></span><p><br>Chairman Bettencourt and members of the committee:<br><br>My name is Kathy Green, and I am the Director of State and Federal Strategy for AARP Texas. AARP Texas represents almost 2.5 million members across the state, and we advocate for empowering people to choose how they live as they age.<br><br>I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the committee’s charge on housing affordability.<br><br>Through our policy and advocacy work, AARP Texas fights for older Texans to have stability and a sense of security in a place they call home. Additionally, we fight for housing choices that allow older Texans to remain in their homes or find a safe and affordable home in their community.<br><br>AARP Texas, in recent polling, found that 89% of Texas residents 45+ prioritize staying in their own home as they get older. However, many older Texans reaching retirement age worry about this being a reality. Being on a fixed income and concerns about having enough money saved to live out that retirement, comfortably challenge this notion.<br><br>While the population of Texas is growing overall, it is no secret that our older population in Texas is the fastest age group. The 65+ population grew in Texas <u>by 42%</u> between 2012 and 2022.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-right > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="right"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/98/9c/d9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429/istock-458355001.jpg" alt="Texas housing" width="2108" height="1422" style="height: auto; max-width: 400px;"/> </figure> </div> </div><p>In our research, we have found several factors impacting housing affordability. These include:<br></p><ul><li>Land use regulations that impact the type of housing that can be built; <br></li><li>Similarly, the amount of land zoned to allow rental housing and housing at higher densities; <br></li><li>Increases in construction and development costs; <br></li><li>Lack of financing and capital available for homeowners and builders looking to invest in workforce, and/or affordable and low-income housing; <br></li><li>Lack of government funds earmarked for housing; <br></li><li>The rise of institutional investors; <br></li><li>Soft costs, such as transfer taxes and development impact fees; <br></li><li>Increasing property taxes </li></ul><p>All these factors have ways to address them, some clearly more complex than others. I would like to suggest a few possible solutions:<br></p><ul><li>Increasing public and nonprofit investments in subsidized housing for low-income households (typically those earning no more than 30%, 60%, 80% and in very expensive markets, 120% of Median Area Household Income). Mechanisms that can be used to drive investments in affordable housing include housing trust funds, low-income housing tax credits, and direct housing subsidies paid to eligible households; <br></li><li>Reforming state and local zoning and building codes to incentivize affordable housing construction; <br></li><li>Strengthening community land trusts, which can be used to discourage land speculation and protect the long-term affordability of units; <br></li><li>Using inclusionary zoning that incentivizes or requires builders and developers to include some dedicated portion of affordable units when multifamily housing is built; <br></li><li>Passing zoning legislation to allow for new housing options, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), manufactured housing, and tiny homes, to be constructed; <br></li><li>Building more housing in designs and locations that work for older adults and people with disabilities; <br></li><li>Increasing funding for housing to specifically serve the needs of low-income older adults; <br></li><li>Implementing property tax relief programs targeted to low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. </li></ul><div class="Enhancement" data-align-left > <div class="Enhancement-item"><figure class="Figure" data-alignment="left"> <img src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/c8/60/59d41ad24fee9a27b06b253496e7/kathy-green-headshot-image.jfif" alt="Kathy Green, AARP Texas" width="669" height="836" style="height: auto; max-width: 180px;"/> <figcaption class="Figure-caption">Kathy Green, AARP Texas, kgreen@aarp.org, 512-657-7407</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div><p>In closing, housing affordability is a challenging issue that affects residents across the state, both middle and lower income. AARP Texas looks forward to continuing to work with the committee and other stakeholders to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Texas. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/texas/" target="_blank">AARP Texas</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://npmcdn.com/flickity@2/dist/flickity.pkgd.min.js"></script> <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.d703996ba6a992470f9f7fa2170736df.gz.js"></script> <link class="Webpack-css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.2cef3303b65f09149a6db29044f033cb.gz.css"> <!-- <script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> --> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Blacksburg</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-4yn8lj6jmz9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Friday, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-live-essential-estate-planning-for-family-and-future-31725-rtnks82d4g9.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-LIVE-ESSENTIAL-ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-FAMILY-AND-FUTURE-31725">AARP Live: Essential Estate Planning for Family and Future, 3/17/25</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Mar 17, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">YouTube and TV</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/carfit-virtual-workshop-lets-talk-vehicle-safety-and-comfort-59nxl95glgd.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CARFIT-VIRTUAL-WORKSHOP-LETS-TALK-VEHICLE-SAFETY-AND-COMFORT">CarFit Virtual Workshop: Let's Talk – Vehicle Safety and Comfort</a></h2> <p class="time">Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;height:360px;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Last Chance to Save!<br />New Pricing Coming in 2025.</div> <br /> <p> This is AARP's first rate increase in 15 years.<br />Don't miss out, join today and save!<br /><br /> </p> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-BLACKSBURG-VA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Virginia Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" data-tabs="timeline" width="" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Virginia</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:VAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAAARP@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Virginia</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-aarp-virginia/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-BLACKSBURG-VA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPVirginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/facebook.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpVa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img style="max-width: 48px;" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/page/icons/twitter.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability.Nov. 7, 2024Kathy Green, Director of State and Federal" name="description"/> <meta content="Testimony, before, Texas, Senate, Committee, on, Local, Government, about, Improving, Housing, Affordability" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/texas/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/testimony-before-the-texas-senate-committee-on-local-government-about-improving-housing-affordability-tx-2024-11-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government about Improving Housing Affordability"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Kathy Green of AARP Texas provides testimony on housing affordability before the Texas Senate Committee on Local Government"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9cdad83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2108x1355+0+67/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F98%2F9c%2Fd9b8b64e4939b88d90f84b8b9429%2Fistock-458355001.jpg"/> /* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '240925' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = '/* temporary */ .RichTextArticleBody ul { padding-left: 20px; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement { margin: 40px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item img { width: auto; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; } @media (min-width: 768px) { .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=left], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-left] .Enhancement-item > * { float: left; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 20px 20px 0; } .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement .Enhancement-item .Figure[data-alignment=right], .RichTextArticleBody .Enhancement[data-align-right] .Enhancement-item > * { float: right; max-width: 340px !important; margin: 0 0 20px 20px; } } :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Blacksburg, VA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/blacksburg-va/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/blacksburg-va/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118