A recent Texas GOP proposal for spending relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act does not include any funding for affordable housing.

The Dallas Observer reports that the state is set to receive $16 billion in federal coronavirus response money as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, and Texas Housers along with other groups released a proposal stating that $5 billion should be set aside for housing.

“The lack of affordable housing is going to push people to more rural areas in Texas,” Cody Grace, candidate for Texas House District 6, wrote in an Oct. 11 Twitter post. “Affordable housing is so important in city centers, but we also we need better infrastructure (water, power, internet, etc.) to support growth in these rural areas. #txlege”

Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and Republican State Sen. Jane Nelson presented a proposal that included no spending on housing initiatives. Instead, Senate Bill 8 would allocate more than $7 billion to shore up the state's Unemployment Compensation Fund. 

The city of San Marcos opened up dialogue in September to raise awareness for the issue of homelessness in the city, according to Community Impact Newspaper.

On Sept. 7, Texas State University started conducting a study to research the issues and needs of people that have no housing in the city of San Marcos.

More than 4,000 people are homeless in Dallas County, according to the Dallas Observer.