EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – El Paso’s housing needs are different from those in other major Texas cities, a consultant told El Paso City Council during an “Envision El Paso” comprehensive update during a work session meeting Monday morning, Nov. 17.
“El Paso is a unique place. It’s not quite the same as other big cities in Texas. It has different dynamics to it, different economies, different issues,” Matt Prosser with Economic & Planning Systems Inc. said. “And so we wanted to account and look at some of those.”
One of the most striking findings from the analysis, Prosser said, is the prevalence of multigenerational living. According to the assessment, nearly 60% of adults ages 18 to 34 in El Paso live with parents or other relatives – a rate Prosser pointed out is far higher than statewide or national averages.
“That’s over 15 to 20 percent higher than you see in Texas or in the U.S.,” Prosser told council members. “So a very strong cultural practice living with family, especially when you’re younger and becoming established. But it also may indicate, perhaps, a lack of options and affordability for some of these folks.”…