This article is the second part of Texas Tech Public Media’s look into rental housing in Lubbock. For more “Renter Worries,” click here.
When Lubbock renters are asked why they stay in The Hub City, the consensus is confirmed by data. New numbers from the National Low Income Housing Coalition show, compared to the rest of the state, fair market rent in Lubbock remains below the average for Texas. But that’s only half the story.
Part of the affordability data from NLIHC is based on minimum wage income, which has been $7.25 per hour in Texas since 2009. While a significant portion of jobs in Lubbock pays more than minimum wage, that doesn’t mean it’s enough to pay the rent.
According to the coalition’s data, 44% of households in Lubbock are renters, 6% more than the state average. The study placed the minimum annual wage needed to rent an average one-bedroom home in Lubbock at $33,520, an hourly income of $16.12.
Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the average hourly wage in Lubbock is $17.58, only $1.46 more than what it takes to rent a place with one bedroom.
Around 40% of workers in Lubbock make over minimum wage but still not enough to afford the rent for one bedroom. Compensating for that often means living with roommates, working multiple jobs or trying to get help through programs like Section 8 with the Lubbock Housing Authority.
The Section 8 Housing Voucher program offers financial assistance while still allowing renters to choose where they live. Texas landlords are not required to accept Section 8 applicants.
According to the Housing Authority, families participating in their programs can’t make more than 50% ($42,300) of the area’s median income: $84,600. Also, the office is required by law to provide 75% of its vouchers to applicants whose incomes don’t exceed 30% ($25,380) of the area median income.
When you consider the need, the Housing Authority said their resources just don’t add up.
“We have 1,275 Section 8 vouchers. Our funding currently only allows us to house about 1,000 families,” Lubbock Housing Authority Executive Director Mike Chapman said. “We don’t have enough money to issue the others.”
Officials with the Housing Authority said new names are added to the program wait lists after verifying older names to make sure the lists don’t get too long, as that can leave some waiting years for help. Another part of what they are trying to do is give a helping hand to those who are working but can’t quite seem to make enough. Still, many families are left with few options.
“A lot of those families are hard-working families,” Chapman said. “It’s a tough deal.”
The Lubbock Housing Authority also has about 300 public housing units they own and manage. To expand that, Public Housing Director Todd Steelman said they would have to get more money to build new units. However, he added that doesn’t seem to be the direction the Department of Housing and Urban Development is going, and they direct the resources.
“They're encouraging more of the Section 8, where you're working with the private sector. Because with public housing, not only do they give us money to operate, but they also have to give us money to upkeep them. And so it costs them more money,” Steelman said. “Whereas, if they're doing it in the private sector, the private sector gets their money, and within that money, they have to upkeep the units.”
The recent struggles of some Lubbock apartment tenants have underscored where private companies can take advantage when wages fail to meet rising rent costs in places with a lack of support for low-income citizens or assistance programs.
Ohio-based property owners, Millennia Companies, Ltd, is one of the largest low-income housing groups in the country, with a history of complaints from tenants about failing to upkeep their properties, despite renovation promises supported by government actions.
They will receive a 4% Housing Tax Credit approved by Lubbock City Council to support an expected $12.3 million in renovations at The Ella Apartment Complex starting in September. Residents of The Ella have complained of poor conditions including broken air conditioning and mold at the apartment for months.
More than 120 of the 152 apartments in The Ella complex were listed as low-income units, so part of the money paying the rent for Millennia’s property already comes from government programs like Section 8.
Families participating in the Housing Authority’s programs can choose from a list of approved properties, but housing authority staff will work with other landlords or property managers as well. Aside from finding places with reasonable rent, officials said another challenge for low-income renters can be finding places or people willing to allow low-income housing.
Until recently, Homeowners Associations in Texas could vote to prevent low-income housing in their entire neighborhood, a practice that has commonly been seen as discriminatory. After a bill passed the state legislature this year, this will be illegal starting Sept. 1.
Statewide, there has been a high demand for rent relief this year, according to officials with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
In March, the TDHCA saw more than 70,000 applicants in the first 24 hours of opening Texas Rent Relief, distributing more than $2 billion in aid to about 95% of Texas counties through the lifespan of that program.
Rent relief discussions reached the Texas legislature amid back-and-forth debates on approaching historic property tax cuts with a budget surplus of more than $33 billion. House Democrats proposed a cash rebate for renters, who make up one-third of Texas households, equal to 10% of the rent tenants paid the previous year. This rebate was not mentioned when legislators later announced their final deal on property taxes.
Whether renters seek relief through the housing authority’s programs or work to meet budgets on their own, Steelman has one piece of universal advice: “Read the lease.”
Local renters, attorneys and the Housing Authority have described leases getting longer and more complicated, with confusing changes to maintenance requirements and fees.
“You just have to take the time and go through it. Highlight where you have questions and ask,” Steelman said. “Read the lease. If you don't understand it, ask somebody.”
Those with questions can contact organizations like Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, as they are set up to provide free civil legal help for low-income Texans.
To help keep Lubbock households informed of their rights, Legal Aid will be holding free civil legal clinics at the Lubbock County Office Building at 916 Main Street, on July 20 and 27.
The clinics can provide an opportunity for connection to free legal help on issues with security deposits, rent resources, illegal lockouts or housing discrimination. Those who can’t attend their clinics but are worried about an eviction or foreclosure issue are encouraged to call their eviction defense line at 855-548-8457, or their Legal Aid Line at 888-529-5277.
For those seeking financial help through programs from the Lubbock Housing Authority, the application process is accessible on their website, but the wait lists are only open for a limited time. People who are veterans, elderly or disabled could be given priority.
The waitlist for Section 8 assistance officially opened for new names again starting July 10.