Many low-income Texans were especially vulnerable to the storm鈥檚 damages. They were residing in homes more exposed to the elements, subject to the whim of landlords, and sometimes reliant on government programs and social service agencies to get damages repaired.
Leah King, the CEO of the , said that the consequences of natural disasters are felt more acutely by people without a financial cushion. An event like the winter storm can create problems that are experienced as inconveniences by wealthier or higher-income families, but can set off a cascade of issues for families without stable financial footing.
鈥淭hey had food spoiling and pipes bursting and then they had water damage and so it just had a snowball impact as a result of the storm, and so many families are struggling to recover from that,鈥� she said.
King said her organization heard from many people who had electric bills more than $500 after the February storm, an economic gut punch after a year of the pandemic鈥檚 pummeling.
四虎影院鈥檚 new series, One Crisis Away: The Storm Lingers, will look at how this natural disaster hit Texas鈥� most vulnerable the hardest.
The series will zoom in on energy insecurity, exploring how the systems we have to power our homes often fail lower-income Texans.
It鈥檚 not clear exactly how many Texans are unable to consistently cover their home energy costs. It is clear, though, that during the pandemic, social services agencies have seen a surge in requests for help covering utility bills.
About 41% of Texas households are considered lower-income, meaning that they make less than 80% of the typical income in their city or region.
According to Dana Harmon, who runs the , lower-income households put about 10% of their earnings toward home energy, on average. A family paying more than 6% of household income for home energy is considered 鈥榚nergy burdened.鈥�
Energy Insecurity
鈥淥ur research shows that households facing energy insecurity may delay or skip necessary spending on other expenses like groceries or clothing in order to pay utility bills,鈥� Harmon said.
Energy insecurity can also exacerbate health problems, she said.
The largest driver of energy insecurity, experts say, is that so many Texans simply don鈥檛 earn enough money to be financially stable. Housing and other costs have than wages in the years since the Great Recession, making it harder for many people to cover even the expected expenses.
鈥淚t got worse in the pandemic, and the storm added on an additional layer of additional financial distress to these families, and they鈥檙e having a very difficult time pulling out of it,鈥� said King.
And COVID-19鈥檚 effects haven鈥檛 been borne out equally. People who were already more likely to struggle financially were by the pandemic鈥檚 economic devastation: Lower-income workers, disproportionately Latino and Black, and women with children.
But income doesn鈥檛 tell the entire story of why so many Texans struggle to make ends meet. Shopping on the deregulated electricity market 鈥� which 85% of Texans do 鈥� can be confusing, and a poor credit score can often limit a family to a higher electricity rate.
The efficiency of a home can also be a big factor: If a house has cracks in the walls, inadequate insulation, or old single-paned windows, the cost to heat and cool that house can be significantly higher than a similar home that is better weatherized. Old, inefficient appliances can also drive up energy bills.
For homeowners, fixing those problems is expensive. For renters, it may be impossible.
鈥淚 may know that my HVAC unit is incredibly inefficient 鈥� but I may not have the capital to buy a new one,鈥� said Harmon. 鈥淥r I may be a renter, and despite my complaints to my landlord, my landlord doesn鈥檛 have the incentive to invest in upgrades to my residence because I鈥檓 the one paying the [electric] bill.鈥�
There are weatherization programs funded by the federal government, but few homeowners are aware of them, and they often run out of funds. For those who are able to get help weatherizing their homes, though, these programs can help shore up a family鈥檚 finances by keeping utility bills in check.
Keep In Touch
Over the next several weeks, as 四虎影院 unpacks the winter storm鈥檚 lingering effects and digs into energy insecurity, we鈥檇 love to hear from you.
- Are you still trying to recover from the winter storm? What鈥檚 getting in the way?
- Have you looked for ways to weatherize or improve energy efficiency in your home?
- Have you gotten stuck with an expensive electricity plan that tacks on hidden fees? Or developed a strategy to shop for electricity on Texas鈥� deregulated electricity market?
- Are you worried about what this hotter-than-usual summer will mean for the family pocket book?
Christopher Connelly is 四虎影院's One Crisis Away Reporter, exploring life on the financial edge. Email Christopher at cconnelly@kera.org. You can follow Christopher on Twitter .
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