Texas tenants hit with soaring rent increases see little relief in sight

[Standing on business]

Texas tenants hit with soaring rent increases see little relief in sight

Texas Tribune

Timia Cobb

Published: February 4, 2022, 5:00 AM

When Rebecca Brown of Carrollton was told last year that her rent would increase by nearly $350 a month, she was left scrambling to find a more affordable place or try to negotiate the increase down. (Shelby Tauber For The Texas Tribune, Shelby Tauber For The Texas Tribune)
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Approaching the end of 2021, Rebecca Brown had a tough choice to make: Either renew a lease at her Carrollton apartment complex, which wanted $346 more a month in rent, or leave the area where she’d lived for five years.

When Brown reached out to her leasing office, she was told the rent increase couldn’t be negotiated. Her two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment’s rent would jump from $1,443 to $1,789. For Brown, the new price would be a struggle to afford.

“It stressed me out immediately because, I mean, that’s a huge jump,” Brown said. “That’s [about] $400. To try to come up with an extra $400 a month, that’s not that easy to do.”

Brown, a 37-year-old tax analyst, is far from alone. Across the state and country, a combination of social, economic and political forces are driving more people to look for rental housing but limiting the construction of units. That imbalance between supply and demand pushes rents upward, putting tenants in financial binds. And in Texas — where laws favor landlords, and rent control is virtually nonexistent — tenants are left to either take on additional jobs, cut other household costs or move out of the communities they prefer.

“I could have afforded the increase, but it just would’ve made the budget tighter,” Brown said. “So I was like, I have to start thinking about what my options are here.”

Texas tenants hit with soaring rent increases see little relief in sight

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

i just wanna know when the breaking point will reach. no one will be able to afford anything other than to sleep in a car soon

 

[Wild self]

I said before, this must be resolved by bloodshed. Some landlords are playing with their very lives over that.

 

[Wild self]

i just wanna know when the breaking point will reach. no one will be able to afford anything other than to sleep in a car soon

It did. Thats why crime is spiking all over America.

 

[Kiyoshi-Dono]

South ain’t cheap no more

 

[Bubba T]

$1800 to rent a 2 bedroom apartment there is ridiculous

 

[Double Burger With Cheese]

In Texas, do they still call it Texas toast, or is it just toast? The streets need to know. It just really wouldn’t make any sense to say Texas…you already in Texas, it’s implied.

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

It did. Thats why crime is spiking all over America.

naw i mean, like riots in the streets because no one can afford housing. thats what i want to see..

we need caps on housing costs in this country, and protections from corporations and foreign investors snatching up properties.

i ride though neighborhoods with nothing but empty rooms every fukking day

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

South ain’t cheap no more

the undesireable parts like backwoods mississipppi still are but yea, this shyt has spread everywhere now

 

[Wild self]

naw i mean, like riots in the streets because no one can afford housing. thats what i want to see..

we need caps on housing costs in this country, and protections from corporations and foreign investors snatching up properties.

i ride though neighborhoods with nothing but empty rooms every fukking day

That's coming, too.

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

only being able to afford a beat up house in the hood is whats in store for our kids. the irony of detroit and st louis will be the only places anyone will be able to afford a house soon is hilarious. we really gonna move back to the rust belt because we have to lol

 

[BK The Great]

The entire US prices are soaring, something's gotta give soon.

 

[OfTheCross]

Texas tenants hit with soaring rent increases see little relief in sight

Texas Tribune

Timia Cobb

Published: February 4, 2022, 5:00 AM

When Rebecca Brown of Carrollton was told last year that her rent would increase by nearly $350 a month, she was left scrambling to find a more affordable place or try to negotiate the increase down. (Shelby Tauber For The Texas Tribune, Shelby Tauber For The Texas Tribune)
Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

Approaching the end of 2021, Rebecca Brown had a tough choice to make: Either renew a lease at her Carrollton apartment complex, which wanted $346 more a month in rent, or leave the area where she’d lived for five years.

When Brown reached out to her leasing office, she was told the rent increase couldn’t be negotiated. Her two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment’s rent would jump from $1,443 to $1,789. For Brown, the new price would be a struggle to afford.

“It stressed me out immediately because, I mean, that’s a huge jump,” Brown said. “That’s [about] $400. To try to come up with an extra $400 a month, that’s not that easy to do.”

Brown, a 37-year-old tax analyst, is far from alone. Across the state and country, a combination of social, economic and political forces are driving more people to look for rental housing but limiting the construction of units. That imbalance between supply and demand pushes rents upward, putting tenants in financial binds. And in Texas — where laws favor landlords, and rent control is virtually nonexistent — tenants are left to either take on additional jobs, cut other household costs or move out of the communities they prefer.

“I could have afforded the increase, but it just would’ve made the budget tighter,” Brown said. “So I was like, I have to start thinking about what my options are here.”

Texas tenants hit with soaring rent increases see little relief in sight

I'm guessing she can downsize to a studio or 1br and afford it just fine

 

[Darealtwo1]

$1800 to rent a 2 bedroom apartment there is ridiculous

I mean that's probably split between 2 people....$900 a month ain't brazy

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

I mean that's probably split between 2 people....$900 a month ain't brazy

or maybe she has a kid who aint pitching in on rent lol. come on yall