Nearly 1 in 4 Houston-area households depend on the food assistance provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, help that has been cut off during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, according to a new study from the University of Houston’s Center for Public Policy.
“The government shutdown has led to disruptions, funding freezes and delays in SNAP disbursements,” the report reads. “Families who already struggle with food, housing and energy costs face additional hardship. For Houston — where poverty rates are high and inflation has intensified basic living expenses — the continuation of SNAP support during a shutdown is critical.”
Created by the Hobby School of Public Affairs in partnership with the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center, the SPACE City Panel — Survey on Public Attitudes and Community Engagement — serves as a quarterly longitudinal survey of residents across the Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area aimed at capturing changes in attitudes regarding current challenges. More than 5,000 individuals across Houston’s MSA joined the panel from March to May to build the research initiative…