Three cities in Texas lead YardiMatrix's list of US metro areas with the most environmental risk, according to a new report from YardiMatrix.

Houston, Austin, and Dallas all received low scores in the firm's recent ESG report, in the "natural disasters" and "government response" categories. The cities suffered mightily under the weight of the February 2021 winter storms, which claimed 150 lives statewide, and well-documented power, food and water shortages last year affected more than 4.5 million residents. Property damages exceeded $20 billion. 

"The Texas storms are a demonstration of the stakes," the report notes. "Texas has reaped the benefits of deregulation and low taxes/utility costs, but utility providers' lack of investment to winterize the power grid left the state unprepared to handle extreme weather. Without collective action to mitigate environmental risk, such disasters with high damages will recur."