Although the United States has been described as a nation of homeowners, homeownership is not uniformly distributed across population groups. The migration of individuals to Houston, Texas, has intensified the competition for decent housing in that city. The rapid population growth has also accelerated the competition between lower and middle-income residents for the neighborhoods of the central city. Spiraling housing costs have limited the single family home market to a select few. While the overall housing condition in Houston is booming, poverty pockets continue to exist amidst affluence. Black families are less likely to be homeowners than their white counterparts. The need for public housing far exceeds the supply. Residency in public housing reflects the segregated patterns of the city: blacks in black neighborhoods and whites in white areas. The movement of blacks to Houston's suburbs lagged behind that of whites. The percentage of blacks in the city's suburbs actually decreased between 1960 and 1970. Overall, the economic prosperity that Houston is experiencing has had little impact in reversing housing segregation levels. (Author/RLV)