Austin, TX

Boomers are hanging onto large homes, boxing out millennials with growing families. That could hurt Biden in the election.

Published

2 years ago

April 15, 2024

Boomers are hanging onto large homes, boxing out millennials with growing families. That could hurt Biden in the election.

Many boomers are holding on to their large homes, stressing the housing market for younger buyers.
For millennials with growing families, purchasing a home has become even more difficult.
For Biden and Trump, the issue of housing affordability could make or break their candidacies.

For baby boomers with growing families in the 1980s and 1990s, homeownership was a natural next step in their adulthoods.

But when their children moved out to pursue their own dreams years later, many of these boomers remained in their large homes. And at least for the foreseeable future, they’re not going anywhere.

For millennials now looking to purchase a home, especially those now having children of their own, the road has been difficult. The tight housing market has effectively cut them off from purchasing homes within their budget, and high-interest rates haven’t helped.

But many boomers, some still working and trying to navigate their fast-approaching retirements, have chosen to remain in large properties. And many of these homes have continued to appreciate in value, giving boomers second thoughts about downsizing.

According to a Redfin analysis of US Census Bureau data, 28% of homes throughout the country that contain three or more bedrooms are owned by empty-nesters aged 60 to 78. Millennials with children own 14% of similarly-sized properties, a stunning disparity.

But what does this mean for the 2024 election, especially with Gen Z and millennial voters effectively priced out of so many housing markets?

A house of cards

When housing construction stood still during the housing crisis, it led to a lack of new homes for growing families.

And just last week, mortgage rates rose to nearly 7%, according to The Wall Street Journal. Compare that figure to 2020, when there was an average 30-year fixed mortgage rate of just 3.38%.

With the current housing shortage and less-than-ideal mortgage rates, many millennial families are not enjoying the same quality of life as their parents.

Millennials also grew up with soaring higher education costs, so many are still paying off student-loan debt. Others are also paying off record credit-card debt.

According to The Journal, boomers are less likely to have credit-card debt than millennials.

That means a lot of Gen Z and millennial voters are frustrated with leaders in Washington for what many see as inaction to address some of the most pressing issues of their generation.

President Joe Biden has sought to emphasize housing affordability while on the campaign trail, recently making a major speech in Nevada where he spoke about his administration’s efforts to build new units. But right now many voters aged 18 to 44 aren’t enthused with the administration, which could benefit former President Donald Trump despite the left-leaning orientation of many young voters.

Trump has continued to tout the success of the pre-COVID economy under which he presided, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to win over the scores of millennials who soundly rejected the GOP in the 2016 and 2020 elections.

One thing is certain, though. There’s still not enough housing.

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Austin, TX

Flu cases are rising in Texas. Watch out for these symptoms

Published

10 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Flu cases are rising in Texas. Watch out for these symptoms

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Health officials urge Texans to take precaution as flu cases ramp up across the state.

Recent data from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) show an uptick in flu-related hospitalizations this season. Weekly emergency department visits have also increased by over 4,000 this month, reaching a high of 9,993 in mid-December.

Austin-based physician assistant Jordan Jones with Baylor Scott & White Urgent Care said she is seeing a large rise of the influenza A virus in the Texas area.

“We’re seeing quite a few patients that are coming in who either have known exposures or positive home tests, which are really great things to have on hand in this season,” Jones noted.

Compared to the rest of the country, Jones said Texas is seeing a moderate level of influenza, however public health officials expect cases to intensify through Christmas and New Years.

“We’re probably going to see a nice rise after the holidays, but we really can’t prepare for exactly when the actual peak will be,” Jones said.

It’s not just flu cases that are expected to spike after the holidays. Jones said Texans should be prepared for cases of other respiratory illnesses like RSV and Covid-19 to climb.

“We really want you to be careful if you are spending time with your family,” Jones said. “If you’re having any symptoms, let other people know so that they can choose: do we want to still plan the holidays together or not?”

What should you look out for?

When it comes to signs and symptoms of the most common flu strain right now, influenza A, Jones described it as feeling like “you got hit by a freight train.”

“That’s what I always tell patients is that all of a sudden you’re down for the count,” she explained.

Common symptoms include:

Fever
Body aches
Sore throat
Runny nose
Congestion

As for prevention, Jones recommends getting the flu shot, handwashing, and carrying antibacterial hand sanitizer if you plan to travel.

“It’s hard for your immune system to fight a virus if you are exposed to something. Allowing yourself rest and stress reduction is also going to help you stay healthy,” Jones said.

Jones recommends seeing a health professional within the first 48 hours of experiencing symptoms to be prescribed Tamiflu, an antiviral medication to treat influenza A.

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Austin, TX

Billy Strings at Moody Theater in Austin, TX – Loud Hailer Magazine

Published

22 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

Billy Strings at Moody Theater in Austin, TX – Loud Hailer Magazine

Bluegrass musician Billy Strings sold out Austin’s iconic ACL Live at The Moody Theater, where Strings closed his headlining North American tour.

Billy Strings, born William Apostol, is an American singer and songwriter from Michigan. Music has always been a big part of Strings’ life, but he started his music career seriously in 2012. He took on the name Billy Strings after his Aunt saw his talent on various traditional bluegrass instruments. Today, Strings tours with a handful of bluegrass musicians, including Royal Masat (bass), Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), and Billy Failing (banjo).

This past year, Strings and his band have been touring North America, concluding their tour with two shows in Austin, TX. The first being at the Moody Center and the second and final being at ACL Live at The Moody Theater. Billy Strings is no stranger to ACL Live and has previously recorded multiple episodes of the venue’s famous series. His debut aired in 202,1 and he went on to record another taping in 2024. In 2024, Billy Strings released his most recent album, Highway Prayers. The album explores themes of personal reflection, identity, and family.

Billy Strings didn’t have an opener and began his set at a little after 8 PM. He opened his set with a few classic bluegrass covers, some being “Riding the Midnight Train” by The Doc Watson Family and “Big Spike Hammer” by The Osborne Brothers. He also performed originals like “It Ain’t Before” from his latest album, Highway Prayers. The song is about feeling disadvantaged by societal systems that don’t work in your favor. The song blends traditional and modern bluegrass sounds, featuring a mouth harp in the original recording.

The band sped through some more classics while the audience on the floor cut up a rug. He performed a few more originals, such as “Gone a Long Time” from Highway Prayers and “These Memories of You” from his 2017 album Turmoil & Tinfoil. The latter was recorded with his stepfather, the one who introduced Strings to the genre. The song reflects on their sustained relationship.

Fans were surprised and delighted when Strings began “Cora Is Gone,” by Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and The Foggy Mountain Boys. Strings and his band haven’t performed the cover since 2020. Ultimately, Billy Strings closed his set with Patty Griffin’s “We Shall All Be Reunited,” clearly implying that Strings will be back to commune with the locals of Austin.

Billy Strings will be back on tour soon enough. In February, he will kick off a tour in Georgia and finish towards the end of April in Indiana. Billy Strings has successfully kept an exceptional genre alive by sharing his and his band’s talent with the world.

BILLY STRINGS
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MOODY THEATER
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