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Affordable Housing in Sunset Heights: Three Decades of LIHTC Projects
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Sunset Heights, a neighborhood in El Paso, Texas, has 44 affordable housing units funded by Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). These units are distributed across two projects and constitute the entirety of the LIHTC-funded low-income units in the area. The estimated 964 housing units in Sunset Heights, based on the 2022 population of 2,516 and the national average household size of 2.61, include these 44 LIHTC-funded units, representing approximately 4.6% of the housing inventory.
The presence of LIHTC-funded affordable housing in Sunset Heights dates back to 1989 with the completion of the Lorena Apts project. The most recent project, Missouri Street Residence, was completed in 1993, indicating that affordable housing has been a component of the neighborhood for over 30 years. The 1990s marked the period of most significant affordable housing development activity in the area.
The LIHTC-funded projects in Sunset Heights offer a total of 2 efficiency units and 42 one-bedroom units. This unit composition indicates a focus on housing for smaller households or individuals. The Missouri Street Residence, completed in 1993, contributed 42 one-bedroom units to the neighborhood's affordable housing inventory, while the Lorena Apts, completed in 1989, added two efficiency units.
Sunset Heights has experienced demographic changes over the past decade. The population decreased from 2,949 in 2015 to 2,516 in 2022. Despite this decline, the median income increased from $17,619 in 2015 to $29,976 in 2022. The racial composition of the neighborhood has remained predominantly Hispanic, with a slight increase from 81% in 2015 to 86% in 2022. The Black population increased from 1% to 6%, while the White population decreased from 16% to 5% during the same period.
The absence of new LIHTC projects in the last decade may be attributed to the rising median income in the area, potentially reducing the perceived need for additional low-income housing. However, the median income remains relatively low compared to national averages, suggesting persistent affordable housing needs.
Sunset Heights maintains a small but established LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory, with 44 units across two projects completed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These units, representing about 4.6% of the estimated housing stock, provide affordable housing options primarily for smaller households. Despite the lack of recent LIHTC developments, the continued low median income indicates that affordable housing remains a significant consideration for this community.
