Houston’s food-assistance safety net is fraying fast, with SNAP enrollment dropping to its lowest point in at least four years across the region. As thousands of households fall off the rolls, local food banks are watching the impact show up in longer lines, busier phone lines, and more frequent pleas for help.
Between June 2025 and June 2026, nearly 155,000 people in the nine-county Houston area lost SNAP benefits, an 18% decline. The slide, described as the fastest local enrollment drop since at least 2022, was detailed in a report from ABC13 Houston.
The drop lines up with eligibility changes tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which expanded work requirements for some adults without dependents. According to The Texas Tribune, able-bodied adults ages 18 through 65 without dependents generally must work, train or volunteer at least 80 hours per month to keep benefits. Texas Health and Human Services Commission officials have said caseloads can fluctuate as part of normal program churn.
Food Banks Feel The SNAP Shortfall
Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole told ABC13 that referrals to food banks have climbed, with many of the people now seeking help age 50 and older. The Houston Food Bank is seeing the same trend on the ground, reporting more people showing up in its lines, and showing up more often, a clear sign that the enrollment slide is turning into bare cupboards…