College Station’s Housing Action Plan Committee Presents An Update To The City Council
City council members of College Station were recently presented an update on the Housing Action Plan by a 13-member committee, which has been working since November 2023. The committee, set to present their final recommendations next month, revealed some stark facts regarding affordable housing and suggested potential solutions to combat the impending housing crisis.
Housing Shortage and the Role of Texas A&M
Committee member Fred Dupriest expressed his concerns about the role of Texas A&M in the shortage of affordable housing in College Station. It is reported that the institution has escalated its enrollment, with an average increase of 1,800 each year for the past decade. As the populace of College Station inflates largely as a result of the rising numbers of students, housing accommodation has not kept pace.
A Solution?
Dupriest has suggested both Texas A&M and the city together develop a student housing center, potentially on city-owned property at Post Oak Mall, to alleviate some of the pressure on the local housing market.
An Imbalance Between Housing Supply and Demand
David Brower from the city’s community development office has warned that College Station is projected to have a shortfall of 4,000 housing units in the coming six years. He noted a need for more diverse housing options, specifically more duplexes and townhomes.
In its research, the committee discovered that 40,000 people commute into College Station for work. The pressure on the housing market has led to an alarming rise of 73 percent in the average price of a home in College Station since 2015, while median family income has only increased by 26 percent in the same period.
The Committee’s Goals
The two main goals of the committee are: creating a higher volume of housing units of diverse types, and generating and preserving housing that is affordable for current and future community members. The committee is utilizing input from residents via an online survey to gather information and opinions on these matters.
The recommended solution by the committee, if it comes to fruition, will hopefully alleviate the projected housing shortage and reduce the financial pressure on the residents of College Station. The final recommendations from the committee are eagerly awaited in the upcoming month.