ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Skyrocketing rental rates and limited availability… that’s what many Abilene residents say they’re facing when trying to find a place to live. You’ve probably heard friends or coworkers talking about it, too. That growing concern took center stage at the City of Abilene’s annual State of the City address. “Well, there’s no hiding that we have a critical housing shortage in Abilene, especially when it comes to rental and our rental market,” Mayor Weldon Hurt said.