


Nick Arriaga is living in a dining room with a bed in it.

In the duplex he shares with his brother, there is no central air-conditioning or heating, and he pays an extra $25 a month for pet rent, in addition to the pet deposit he already made.

The 24-year-old Corpus Christi native figures the apartment's proximity to Del Mar College-East has something to do with the rent, which is more than $700 a month, bills not included.

That's actually a lower figure for any rental housing, anywhere in Corpus Christi in 2018.

"I've been trying to find a way to move out of my current living situation, but it's hard to find a place that is affordable — it's getting more and more expensive," Arriaga said. "It's hard to find what I'm currently paying, and right now, it's the most I could do."

For millennials (those born between 1984 and 2000) in Corpus Christi, price and location are big factors in preferable housing. And for Arriaga, he would rather live downtown than the Southside.

"I'm social; I'm doing things for the music area of Corpus like putting on local shows, and those shows are downtown," he said. "I would prefer to pay homage to the city itself and create the scene here. I would rather be closer to people that are for that nightlife."


But what are the affordable options for millennials in the city? Not many.

More: Here's why growing Corpus Christi could be on the brink of a housing crisis

According to a March report for the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation, the city is not building enough houses or complexes to keep up with the demand for housing.

And what is being built is too expensive for the average homebuyer, the group said.

The study pointed out the current median cost of a home in Corpus Christi is about $189,000, up from about $140,000 in 2011. But the median household salary has risen to about $50-$52,000 per year.

According to RentCafe, millennials nationwide spend about $93,000 on rent by the time they turn 30.

The national average rent reached an all-time high last month at $1,405 per month, which increased 2.9 percent year-over-year.

Rents increased 88 percent of the nation's biggest 250 cities in June. Keep in mind that Corpus Christi is the 59th largest city in the country.

The top 20 fastest increases in rent prices are in small cities "where population migration and the strengthening economy are accelerating rent growth."


The Coastal Bend is on the rise for population and job growth, and investors and developers are taking notice.

New York-based Castle Lanterra Properties is renovating (or completed renovation o) three Corpus Christi apartments complexes that qualify as "luxury workforce housing."

Luxury workforce housing is designed to "assist young natives of the state in living independently while also saving up for their first home," according to a news release.

Gila Cohen, national vice president of corporate development, described workforce housing as people who make 60-120 percent of the median income and do not qualify for government-regulated affordable housing, but cannot afford luxury housing.

More: Here's new housing developments in Corpus Christi

"They maybe one day want to buy a house as opposed to rent for the rest of their life," Cohen said.

The Southside complexes include Sendera Baypoint, 1802 Ennis Joslin Road; Sage Corpus Christi, 5702 Timbergate Drive; and San Marin Apartments, 7221 S. Staples Street.

Elie Rieder, CEO and founder of Castle Lanterra Properties, considers Corpus Christi a desirable place to live that is culturally rich and diverse. With the city having the country's fifth largest port, the company sees steady growth in their investments.

"It's a coastal city with a great climate; it has great health care with four hospitals, and great recreation with fishing and boating," Rieder said. "The trend we're seeing nationally is that millennials specifically are interested in that 'work, life, play'-harmonious lifestyle."


While millennials might be all grown up, a lot of them are still getting help from home. Buzz60's Natasha Abellard has the story.

San Marin is the first complex to be updated to attract a younger, newer demographic. In the two years since it was bought, the company has renovated 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments with new paint, fixtures and appliances.

Landscaping, including the planting of new grass, common areas, the swimming pool and other outdoor amenities have been been upgraded to give younger people a sense of home. Mixers are also planned to develop a neighborhood.

Though rent prices change every day, a renovated 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom room ranges from $840-$900 at San Marin, while a "classic" model (or one that was not updated) averages $750.

"A lot of people who come to live here, live here for a few years and save up because they're able to put some money aside especially if they're working at the port or in any of the drilling jobs and using their savings to go out and buy a house," Cohen said.

However, people often use cities the size of Corpus Christi as a stepping stone to the next place they want to live, Cohen said. Especially millennials.

More: The Cosmopolitan of Corpus Christi showcases apartment features in grand opening tour

"A lot of our traffic is young people who want to look at a gated community with a place to park their car, has flowers and reminds them of what is was like on their college campus," Cohen said. "It's a safe and pleasant living environment, and you don't work too far away."


Maria Rodriguez thought she had made the "big move" already when she moved to San Antonio for college.

But she quickly realized with tuition, books, rent and everything else she would need to work a full-time job to pay for everything.

This meant she had no time to study, so she decided to move back to Corpus Christi and live with her grandparents to save money and attend University of Houston-Victoria online.

"Being centralized in a big thing," Rodriguez said. She is currently a vice chairperson for the city's human relations commission and is on the board for the Corpus Christi 7-Day Film Project.

While looking for a place of her own, Rodriguez is looking for convenience, price and amenities. Being on the human relations commission, she knows complexes are at 80 percent capacity.

"Being closer to downtown would be convenient, but it would be worth it to pay $100 more in rent if I had a washer-dryer in the apartment," she said.

Twitter: @reporterjulie

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