Transcript MAKING SENSE OF OUR TIMES: Tracking the Economic and Demographic Changes Through 28 Years of Houston Surveys STEPHEN L.

MAKING SENSE OF OUR TIMES:
Tracking the Economic and Demographic
Changes Through 28 Years of Houston Surveys
STEPHEN L. KLINEBERG
The Latest Findings from the Houston Area Survey
April 2009
HOUSTON, FROM 1900 TO 1982

This city was essentially a “one-horse” industrial town, focused
on refining hydrocarbons into gasoline and petrochemicals and
servicing the oil and gas industry (Thomas and Murray 1991).

Houston was the energy capital of the world, the “Golden
Buckle of the Sun Belt,” the bastion of laissez-faire capitalism.
Houstonians proclaimed themselves to be the epitome of
what Americans can achieve when left unfettered by zoning,
excessive taxation, or government regulations (Kaplan 1983).

“The ideological thrust in Houston has been anti-government,
anti-regulation, anti-planning, anti-taxes, anti-anything that
seemed to represent, in fact or fantasy, an expansion of the
public sector or a limitation on the economic prerogatives and
activities of the city’s business community” (Fisher 1990).
THE HOUSTON AREA SURVEY (1982-2009)

Supported by local foundations, corporations, and individuals,
the annual surveys have interviewed 28 scientifically selected
successive representative samples of Harris County residents.

In May 1982, just two months after the first Houston Area Survey was completed, the 80-year oil boom suddenly collapsed.

The region recovered from the deep and prolonged recession
of the mid 1980s to find itself squarely in the midst of . . .
•
•

a restructured economy and
a demographic revolution.
These are the same transformations that have refashioned
American society itself in the past quarter-century. For 28
years, the Houston surveys have tracked area residents’
changing perspectives on these remarkable trends.
FIGURE 1: POSITIVE RATINGS OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HOUSTON AREA (1982-2009)
90
85
Percent rating job opportunities
in the Houston area as either
"excellent" or "good."
80 76
75
73
72
Percent of Respondents
70
67
65
67
60
57
60
55
52
47
50
46
52
45
45
53
49
50
48
38
40
41
40
41
35
30
27
39
40
O3
O4
31
29
25
27
20
18
15
10
11
5
0
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
Year of Survey
98
99
OO
O1
O2
O5
O6
O7
O8
O9
FIGURE 2: NEGATIVE RATINGS OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN RELATION TO THE OFFICIAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATES (1982-2009)
105
11
100
10.5
10.1
95
Percent rating "job opportunities" in the Houston
area as only "fair" or "poor," in comparison with
the official unemployment rates in Harris County.
9.8
90
9.6
87
10
85
9.5
80
80
9
70
71
70
8.3
65
60
8.5
65
65
7.8
8
7.8
56
58
54
58
56
56
7.5
55
49
50
50
52
52
7.1
7.0
(Negative ratings of job
opportunities)
45
46
6.8
7
42
43
42
6.7
40
48
36
6.3
38
6.3
6.5
6.4
35
6.0
30
6
5.9
6.0
5.7
5.6
25
23
5.2
20
15
30
30
4.7
5.5
23
25
(Official Unemployment rates
in Harris County)
5.2
5.9
5
4.8
4.5
10
4.4
4.5
4.3
4.1
5
4
4.1
0
3.5
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
Year of Survey
97
98
99
OO
O1
O2
O3
O4
O5
O6
O7
O8
O9
Official Unemployment Rates
Percent Giving Negative Ratings
75
FIGURE 3: “WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM
IN THE HOUSTON AREA TODAY?” (1982-2009)
85
80
75
traffic
73
72
economy
70
65
crime
65
(Economy)
60
Percent of Respondents
60
55
60
59
54
(Crime)
51
48
50
49
43
45
41
40
(Traffic)
42
40
37
(Traffic)
37
35
39
35
30
44
45
34
34
31
26
26
28
25
33
31
24
27
23
20
22
20
19
15
13
10
20
21
8
12
10
8
6
3
0
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
26
21
22
4
92
18
19
15
93
7
8
95
96
24 24
(Economy)
13
12
9
5
82
(Crime)
12
11
10
31
14
13
14
11
35
25
24
17
36
33
13
12
8
9
OO
O1
10
20
15
15
O8
O9
13
11
10
3
94
97
Year of Survey
98
99
O2
O3
O4
O5
O6
O7
FIGURE 4a: RATINGS OF THE HOUSTON AREA
IN GENERAL AS A PLACE TO LIVE (1996-2008)
105
100
"How would you rate the Houston
area in general as a place to live?"
95
Excellent/Good
Fair/Poor
90
85
(r=+.059, p.+.001)
80
75.4
Percent of Respondents
75
70
72.0
71.4
71.4
66.5
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
32.9
30
27.2
27.7
27.5
23.5
25
20
15
10
5
0
1996
2001
2004
2006
2008
FIGURE 4b: HOUSTON AS A PLACE TO LIVE,
COMPARED WITH OTHER CITIES (2005-2009)
70
65
Much worse
Slightly worse
Slightly better
Much better
60
53.2
Percent of Respondents
55
51.8
50
44.3
(r=+.154, p.=.000)
45
41.4
40
35
31.3
30
25.2
25
20
13.2
15
10
5
9.1
7.9
2.5
2.4
1.3
0
2005
2007
"Compared to most other metropolitan areas in the country, would you
say that the Houston area is a much better place, a slightly better place,
a slightly worse place, or a much worse place in which to live?"
2009
THE RESTRUCTURED ECONOMY

The “resource economy” of the industrial era, for which this
city was so favorably positioned, has been replaced by a new
high-tech, knowledge-based, fully worldwide marketplace.

The traditional “blue collar path” to financial security has now
largely disappeared. Almost all the good-paying jobs today require high levels of technical skills and educational credentials.

In 2008, 74% of the survey respondents disagreed that, “A
high school education is enough to get a good job.” In the
2007 survey, 61% agreed that, “There are very few good jobs
in today’s economy for people without a college education.”

In this increasingly unequal, hourglass economy, “What you
earn,” as the saying goes, “depends on what you’ve learned.”
FIGURE 5: TWO CONTRASTING QUARTERCENTURIES SINCE WORLD WAR II
160
Percent Increase in Before-Tax Incomes
150
Bottom 20%
Second 20%
Middle 20%
Fourth 20%
Top 20%
Top 5%
140
130
120
116
111
114
110
100
100
90
99
86
80
68
70
60
46
50
40
30
22
20
9
10
13
4
0
The Postwar Quarter-Century (1949-1979)
The Millennial Quarter-Century (1979-2003)
Percent Increases in Before-Tax Household Incomes
Source: U.S. Census; Robert H. Frank. 2007. Falling Behind. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, pp. 10-11.
SOME PROVOCATIVE QUOTATIONS
 “Gone forever are the days when a high school graduate
could go to work on an assembly line and expect to earn
a middle-class standard of living. Students who leave high
school today without skills and unprepared for further learning are unlikely to ever earn enough to raise a family. They
are being sentenced to a lifetime of poverty. A generation’s
future is at stake” (Tony Wagner, Making the Grade, 2002).
 “No country in the world, without undergoing military defeat
or internal revolution, has ever experienced such a sharp redistribution of earnings as the U.S. has seen in the last generation” (Lester Thurow, MIT School of Management, 1995).
 “We can have democracy in this country, or we can have
great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few. We cannot
have both” (Louis D. Brandeis, Supreme Court Justice).
FIGURE 6: CONCERNS ABOUT UNFAIRNESS AND
SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMS (1996-2009)
115
110
In favor of: Federal health insurance to cover the medical expenses of all Americans.
105
A "very serious problem" for U.S. if gap between rich and poor gets significantly bigger.
100
95
Problems in America today are result of economic pressures, not decline in moral values.
90
Government is not trying to do too much; should do more to solve the country's problems.
Percent of Respondents
85
80
Most are poor because of circumstances can't control (not because don't work hard
76
enough).
74
75
(Federal health insurance.)
71
(r=+.075, p.=.000)
71
69
70
65
(r=+.103, p.=.000)
67
67
60
55
50
63
(r=+.122, p.=.000)
61
(Due to
circumstances.)
(Rich-poor gap "very serious.")
52
47
52
45
(r=+.132, p.=.000)
(Govt. should do more.)
40
43
35
30
67
70
60
73
68
(r=+.143, p.=.000)
(Economic pressures.)
36
30
30
25
26
20
15
10
5
0
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Year of Survey
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
THE NEW IMPORTANCE OF “QUALITYOF-PLACE” CONSIDERATIONS
 Houston's prospects will now increasingly depend on the
city’s ability to attract and retain the nation’s most skilled and
creative “knowledge workers” and high tech companies.
 This will require continued significant improvements in . . .
• the region’s mobility and transportation systems
• the revitalization and preservation of its urban centers
• the excellence of its venues for sports, arts, and culture
• the enhancement of its green spaces, trees, and bayous
• the richness of its hiking, boating, and birding areas
• the healthfulness of its air and water quality
• Its overall physical attractiveness and aesthetic appeal
 The public’s support for new initiatives along these lines has
remained firm or grown stronger across the years of surveys.
FIGURE 7: CONCERNS ABOUT AIR POLLUTION IN THE HOUSTON AREA (1995-2009)
95
90
Rating the control of air and water pollution in the Houston area as "poor."
85
"Very concerned" about the effects of air pollution on the family's health.
80
We are spending "too little" on improving and protecting the environment.
Percent of Respondents
75
Over the past 3 years, Houston's air pollution has been "getting worse."
70
(Spending "too little" on
environmental protection.)
53
60
55
50
46
60
61
47
(r=+.076, p.=.000)
53
56
("Very concerned"
about health effects.)
45
30
59
52
(Pollution worsening.)
(r=+.033, p.=.030)
51
(r=-.054, p.=.002)
45
49
44
44
45
44
30
63
55
50
46
40
35
65
63
65
43
39
(r=-.076, p.=.005)
36
30
(Rating pollution
controls as "poor.")
25
29
20
15
10
5
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Year of Survey
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
FIGURE 8: ATTITUDES TOWARD POPULATION
GROWTH AND URBAN PLANNING (2007-2009)
100
95
Favor.
90
Redevelop
older areas.
85
80
Favor.
82.8
82.7
Better landuse planning.
76.1
75
69.8
Percent of Respondents
70
65
Worse
60
55
50.3
50
45
No effect
40
35
30.0
30
Build on
edge of
suburbs.
No
opinion
25
19.7
20
Free to
build
wherever.
Oppose.
22.4
No
opinion.
Oppose.
No
opinion.
No
opinion.
15.2
15
8.7
10
10.5
7.8
10.6
6.7
6.7
5
0
Will an additional million
residents make living
conditions better, worse, or
have no clear effect? (2007)
Which is the best way for
Need better land-use planning
Harris County to
to guide growth; or leave
accommodate growth during people free to build wherever
the next 20 years? (2008)
they want? (2007)
Would you favor or oppose
creating a General Plan to
guide Houston's future
growth? (2007)
Would you favor or oppose
creating a General Plan to
guide Houston's future
growth? (2009)
FIGURE 9: ASSESSMENTS OF TRAFFIC
IN THE HOUSTON AREA AND OF THREE
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS (2005-2009)
90
85
"Over the past three years, has traffic in the
Houston area generally gotten better, gotten
worse, or has it stayed about the same?"
80
75
70
67
"Which of these proposals would be
the best long-term solution to the
traffic problems in the Houston area?"
66
Percent of Respondents
65
60
60
55
2005
2007
2009
50
50
45
40
40
(r=+.078, p.=.001)
42
(r=+.079, p.=.001)
35
30
30
27
25
22
23
25
24
26
26
20
20
15
15
9
10
10
5
0
Worse
Same
Better
Highways
Urbanism
Transit
FIGURE 10: THE IMPORTANCE OF A MUCH
IMPROVED MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM AND OF
INCLUDING A RAIL COMPONENT (1991-2008)
70
Percent Saying, "Very Important"
65
63
60
62
57
How important for Houston's future
is the development of a much
improved mass transit system?
55
58
52
50
47
49
45
45
46
45
40
[ If "somewhat" or "very important": ]
And how important is it for that transit
system to have a rail component?
35
34
32
30
25
20
1991
1993
2003
2004
2006
2008
FIGURE 11: HOW WORRIED ABOUT BECOMING THE VICTIM OF A CRIME? (1995-2009)
50
Not very worried/ Not worried at all
45
41
40
Percent of Respondents
Very worried
37
("very worried")
37
34
35
32
32
33
31
31
30
28
25
27
27
("Not very worried" or
"Not worried at all")
(r=-.073, p.=.000)
27
27
28
25
23
20
23
21
"How worried are you personally
that you or a member of your family
will become the victim of a crime?"
20
15
10
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
Year of Survey
2006
2007
2008
2009
U.S. IMMIGRATION POLICY BEFORE
AND AFTER THE REFORM ACT OF 1965

Between 1492 and 1965, 82 percent of all the people in the
world who came to American shores came from Europe.

Under the notorious 1924 “National Origins Quota Act,” U.S.
immigration was dramatically reduced, and newcomers were
restricted almost entirely to the “Nordics” of Western Europe.

In 1965, the “Hart-Celler Act” for the first time accepted large
numbers of non-Europeans, with preferences based primarily
on family reunification, professional skills, or refugee status.

As a result, major new immigrant flows — non-European and
of striking socioeconomic diversity — are rapidly transforming
the composition of the Houston, and American, populations.
FIGURE 12: THE NUMBERS OF DOCUMENTED
U.S. IMMIGRANTS, BY DECADE (1820-2000)
10.0
9.095
8.795
9.0
Numbers of Immigrants (In Millions)
8.0
7.338
7.0
6.0
5.736
5.247
5.0
4.493
4.107
4.0
3.322
3.688
2.812
3.0
2.598
2.0
1.713
2.515
2.315
1.035
1.0
0.599
0.143
0.528
0.0
1821- 1831- 1841- 1851- 1861- 1871- 1881- 1891- 1901- 1911- 1921- 1931- 1941- 1951- 1961- 1971- 1981- 19911830 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Source: U.S. Census (www.census.gov).
THE DEMOGRAPHIC REVOLUTION

Along with the major immigration capitals of L.A. and N.Y.C.,
and closely following upon Miami, San Francisco, and Chicago, Houston is at the forefront of the new diversity that is
refashioning the socio-political landscape of urban America.

Throughout all of its history . . .

•
this was essentially a bi-racial Southern city,
•
dominated and controlled, in an automatic, takenfor-granted way, by white men.
Today . . .
•
Houston is one of the most culturally diverse metropolitan areas in the country, and
•
all of its ethnic communities are now “minorities.”
FIGURE 13: THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSFORMATIONS OF HARRIS COUNTY (1960-2006)
4.5
Anglos
Blacks
Hispanics
Asians/Others
6.5%
4.0
6.3%
Population, in Millions
3.5
3.0
4.1%
2.1%
2.5
32.9%
22.7%
15.5%
2.0
0.8%
9.9%
1.5
0.3%
1.0
19.7%
19.1%
18.3%
54.0%
42.5%
18.4%
20.1%
6.0%
19.8%
62.7%
0.5
38.2%
73.9%
36.9%
69.2%
0.0
1960
(1,243,258)
1970
(1,741,912)
1980
(2,409,547)
1990
(2,818,199)
2000
(3,400,578)
2006, est.*
(3,886,207)
Source: U.S. Census (www.census.gov); classifications based on Texas State Data Center conventions;
total populations are given in parentheses; *from the 2006 Official Population Estimates.
INTERACTIONS OF ETHNICITY AND AGE

The other demographic revolution: the remarkable “aging,”
or “graying,” of the American population.

Today’s seniors are primarily Anglos, as are the 76 million
Americans born between 1946 and 1964, now aged 44 to 62.
In the next 30 years, the numbers over age 65 will double.

The younger cohorts, who will replace the “Baby Boomers,”
are disproportionately non-Anglo and far less privileged.

The “aging of America” is thus a division not only by generation, but also by socioeconomic status and ethnic background.

Nowhere is this ongoing transformation more clearly seen
than in the age distributions of the Harris County population.
FIGURE 14: THE PROPORTIONS IN FOUR AGE
GROUPS WHO ARE ANGLO, BLACK, LATINO,
AND ASIAN OR OTHER (2004-2009, COMBINED)
85
80
Anglos
Blacks
Hispanics
Asians/Others
75
70
68.5
65
59.6
Percent of Respondents
60
55
50
46.0
45
42.3
40
35
31.7
30
23.5 23.5
25
20
15
21.1
18.4
16.7
16.5
12.0
10
5.6
5
5.0
6.9
2.9
0
Ages 60-93 (N=701)
Ages 45-59 (N=990)
Ages 30-44 (N=826)
Ages 18-29 (N=620)
FIGURE 15: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT IN
FIVE HOUSTON COMMUNITIES (1994-2009)
70
65
60
"What is the highest grade
of school or year of college
that you've completed?"
Less than H.S.
H.S. diploma
College degree
Post-graduate
Some college
55
Percent of Respondents
50
48
45
40
36
35
35
30
30
32 32
29
27
25
25
25
18
20
18
18
17
15
5
16
14
11
10
16
14
10
7
8
6
5
3
0
Asian Immigrants US-born Anglos
(N=1,098)
(N=6,813)
US-born Blacks
(N=6,638)
US-born Latinos
(N=3,512)
Latino
Immigrants
(N=3,406)
THE NEW IMMIGRATION: TWO VIEWS*
 The dominant pessimistic story: Immigration is increasing
dramatically, and it is producing a rapidly growing population
of unassimilable foreigners. English will soon lose its status as
the nation’s language. Poverty will grow, placing ever greater
pressure on America’s already-overburdened taxpayers. The
country is being swamped by a rising tide it cannot absorb.
 A different story of the future: After accelerating in the 1990s,
immigration has leveled off. The newcomers are moving out of
poverty and assimilating at least as rapidly as the earlier immigrants from Europe. The baby boomers will soon retire, and today’s immigrants and their children will be the voters and citizens, the workers and taxpayers of America in the new century.
*
From: Dowell Myers. 2007. Immigrants and Boomers: Forging a New Social Contract for the
Future of America. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
FIGURE 16: MEASURES OF SOCIOECONOMIC
STATUS AMONG LATINO IMMIGRANTS BY
TIME IN U.S. AND BY GENERATION (1994-2008)
105
100
In U.S. 0-9 years (N=1,229)
In U.S. 10-19 years (N=1,162)
95
2nd generation (N=1,275)
3rd+ generation (N=1,855)
In U.S. 20+ years (N=902)
90
83
85
Percent of Respondents
80
77
75
69
70
69
71
69 68
65
65
58
60
54
55
50
53
52
44
45
43
38
40
36
35
34
35
33
28
30
25
49
47
46
26
24
23
21
20
25
25
17
15
10
5
0
Education beyond
high school.
Household income
greater than $35,000.
Uses a computer at
work or home.
Has health insurance Lives in the suburbs,
for self and family.
outside the city.
Owns the place
where lives.
Percent of Respondents
FIGURE 17: INDICATORS OF ASSIMILATION
AMONG LATINO IMMIGRANTS BY TIME IN
THE U.S. AND BY GENERATION (1994-2008)
130
125
120
115
110
105
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
In U.S. 1-9 years (N=1,229)
In U.S. 10-19 years (N=1,162)
2nd generation (N=1,275)
3rd+ generation (N=1,855)
In U.S. 20+ years (N=902)
98
89
88
85
84
80
70
65
64
67
60
52
60
52
62
52
45
28
26
18
35
33
31
17
39
39
37
29
25
14
The interview was
Respondent thinks of Preschoolers likely to A disapproved of book The U.S. should admit Three closest friends
conducted in English,
self as primarily
have problems later if should be kept out of more immigrants in the
in Houston are all
rather than Spanish.
Hispanic.
both parents work.
public libraries.
next ten years.
Hispanic.
FIGURE 18: CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARD
HOUSTON’S ETHNIC DIVERSITY (1994–2009)
Percent of Respondents
95
90
The increasing ethnic diversity will eventually become a source of great strength for the city.
85
The increasing ethnic diversity, due to immigration, is a good thing (rather than a bad thing).
80
The increasing immigration mostly strengthens (rather than threatens) American culture.
75
69
70
69
67
65
63
65
66
60
55
54
61
64
64
60
59
62
57
57
55
50
52
49
45
44
40
39
35
30
25
20
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Year of Survey
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
FIGURE 19: THE OVERALL IMPACT OF
THE KATRINA EVACUEES (2006-2009)
90
85
80
Good thing
75
Bad thing
70
Not clear/Can't say
69.9
64.8
Percent of Respondents
65
60
56.9
55
50
46.7
45
40
36.3
35
28.8
30
24.5
25
20
23.6
17.0
14.3
15
10.7
10
6.6
5
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
"On balance, would you say that the overall impact of the Katrina evacuees on Houston
has been a good thing or a bad thng for the city, or has it had no clear effect?"
FIGURE 20: ATTITUDES TOWARD “ILLEGAL”
IMMIGRANTS IN HOUSTON (2007-2009)
95
90
2007
2008
2009
85
80
75
(r=-.081, p.=.003)
70
Percent of Respondents
65
(r=-.063, p.=.005)
(r=+.105, p.=.000)
71.2
68.1
67.6
64.2
61.2
60
55.8
(r=+.042, n.s.)
56.0
55
50.3
50
43.9
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Agree: The children of illegal
immigrants should have the right
to attend the public schools.
Favor: Imposing fines, criminal
charges against employers who
hire illegal immigrants.
Favor: A law that would deny
health and welfare services to
illegal immigrants in Texas.
Favor: Granting illegal immigrants
path to legal citizenship, if speak
English and have no criminal
record.
FIGURE 21: PERSPECTIVES ON ABORTION
RIGHTS (FROM 1990 THROUGH 2009)
85
80
Believe that abortion is morally wrong (rather than morally acceptable).
Against: A law that would make it more difficult to obtain an abortion.
Agree: It should be legal for a woman to obtain an abortion for any reason.
75
Percent of Respondents
70
66
(Against making
more difficult.)
65
63
(r=-.048, p.=.004)
60
63
60
59
58
58
59
57
56
57
58
55
56
55
(Morally
wrong.)
50
54
51
50
54
54
(Legal for any reason.)
49
45
54
56
58
57
56
56
48
51
(r=-.025, n.s.)
(r=+.064, p.=.000)
46
40
35
1990
1992
1993
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Year of Survey
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
FIGURE 22: SINGLE ISSUE VOTING AMONG
“PRO-CHOICE” AND “PRO-LIFE” RESPONDENTS
Percent Who Would NOT Vote for that Candidate
100
95
90
85
"Suppose there w as a candidate running for the Legislature w hose view s
you mostly agreed w ith, but w ho took a position on abortion rights that
you disagreed w ith completely. Would you certainly not vote for that
candidate, probably not, or could you still vote for that candidate?"
80
75
70
Percent saying they w ould certainly not
or probably not vote for that candidate:
65
66
66
60
(Pro-life")
55
50
46
49
45
40
60
48
44
47
("Pro-choice")
40
35
30
25
32
"Pro-choice"
"Pro-life"
20
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
FIGURE 23: BELIEFS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY
(FROM 1997 THROUGH 2009)
75
Homosexuality is morally acceptable (or it depends).
70
Have a close personal friend who is gay or lesbian.
Homosexuality is something people cannot change.
65
61
Percent of Respondents
59
60
57
(Cannot change.)
55
56
(r=+.068, p.=.000)
54
50
(Close gay friend.)
52
50
(r=+.131, p.=.000)
45
47
(Morally acceptable.)
45
40
41
45
44
(r=+.050, p.=.001)
41
39
35
30
25
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Year of Survey
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
FIGURE 24: PERSPECTIVES ON GAY RIGHTS
(FROM 1991 THROUGH 2009)
95
Favor: Allowing homosexuals to teach in the public schools
Favor: Homosexuals being legally permitted to adopt children
85
Favor: Alowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military
Agree: Homosexual marriages should have same legal rights as heterosexuals
75
Percent of Respondents
66
64
65
60
59
(Gays teaching.)
56
(r=+.094, p.=.000)
(r=+.140,
p.=.000)
55
(Gays in the military.)
52
48
45
43
(r=+.050, p.=.001)
41
38
37
(Gay marriages.)
35
37
36
32
34
30
37
29
25
(r=+.184, p.=.000)
27
26
(Gay adoptions.)
15
43
41
19
5
1991
1992 1993
1994
1995
1996 1997
1998
1999
2000 2001
2002
Year of Survey
2003 2004
2005
2006
2007 2008
2009
FIGURE 25: INTERETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN
BELIEFS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION (2006-2008)
90
85
Anglos (N=510)
Blacks (N=503)
Latinos (N=501)
80
75
Percent of Respondents
70
70
69
67
65
58
58
57
60
55
55
50
46
45
39
40
35
30
25
32
38
34
31
27
22
20
15
10
5
0
Blacks and other minorities Black people in U.S. are still
In general, the criminal
Police more likely to use
If Katrina victims had been
have the same opportunities
a long way from having
justice system in Houston is Tasers than less aggressive
white, the government
as whites in the U.S. today.
same chance in life that
biased against blacks. (2006) methods when suspect is would have responded more
(2008)
white people have. (2007)
Black or Hispanic. (2007)
quickly. (2006)
FIGURE 26: CHANGING PERSPECTIVES
ON THE AMERICAN FUTURE (1988-2009)
85
80
Better times
75
70
64
61
Percent of Respondents
60
(More difficult
61
59
55
53
53
51
61
58
54
53
51
48
48
47
44
48
45
45
44
40
35
61
59
59
57
55
45
68
67
65
50
More difficult times
46
43
45
39
39
42
41
32
37
35
30
30
34
34
35
(Better times)
31
30
25
26
20
15
10
"When you look ahead to the next few years,
do you tend to believe the country is headed
for better times or more difficult times?"
5
0
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year of Survey
FIGURE 27: PARTY PREFERENCES AMONG
HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS (1988-2009)
65
Declared or leaning Republican
60
Declared or leaning Democrat
Neither Party/Can't Say
55
50
48
Percent of Respondents
50
45
49
48
(Republicans)
44
47
44
42
45
41
42
43
43
41
40
40
40
39
40
41
39
42
(Democrats)
35
35
37
38
39
40
41
43
41
39
40
40
43
42
40
42
37
39
35
37
36
34
30
32
32
33
29
25
(Neither Party)
16
15
10
5
16
14
11
13
20
17
24
23
22
20
20
18
19
18
19
23
21
17
15
15
"Would you call yourself a Republican, a Democrat, an
Independent, or something else?" [IF NEITHER MAJOR
PARTY IS NAMED:] "Do you think of yourself as closer
to the Republican Party or to the Democratic Party?"
0
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year of Survey
CONCLUSIONS: HOUSTON AND AMERICA
FACE SOME FORMIDABLE CHALLENGES

This city and nation will need to nurture a far more educated
workforce, and fashion policies that can reduce the growing
inequalities and prevent the rise of a new urban underclass.

To attract the most innovative companies and talented individuals, Houston will need to grow into a more environmentally appealing urban destination, and develop the research
centers that will fuel the critical drivers of the new economy.

If the region is to flourish in the 21st century, it will need to
develop into a much more unified and inclusive multiethnic
society, one in which equality of opportunity is truly made
available to all citizens and all of its communities are invited
to participate as full partners in shaping the Houston future.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Professor Stephen L. Klineberg
Department of Sociology, MS-28
Rice University, P. O. Box 1892
Houston, Texas 77251-1892
713-348-3484 or 713-665-2010 or [email protected]
Contact Rice University (at: [email protected]; or:
713-348-4225) to order printed copies of . . .
the report on 24 years of Houston surveys (Public
Perceptions in Remarkable Times, 2005), or:
the report on the six major sectors of the greater Houston
area (Regional Perspectives, 2007)
For further information, please visit the survey Web site, at:
www.houstonareasurvey.org