Texas lawmakers want to lower homeowners' insurance costs, but have few options
Texans pay some of the highest insurance premiums in the country, putting lawmakers under pressure to tackle rising costs. Full Story
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Joshua Fechter is the Dallas-based urban affairs reporter for The Texas Tribune, covering policy — including housing affordability, housing and property taxes, evictions, policing and transportation — and politics in Texas' major metropolitan areas. Before joining the Tribune in August 2021, Joshua covered City Hall for the San Antonio Express-News. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.
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![Homes in a college neighborhood off Park Place in College Station, Texas, on April 23, 2024.]()
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Amid housing affordability crisis, Texas House votes to take some power from NIMBYs
Texas lawmakers have sought to make it easier to build more homes — and harder for neighbors to block projects. Full Story
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![Newly developed apartments sit next to older homes in Dallas' Oak Cliff neighborhood on July 11, 2024.]()
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Texas homeowners could see lower property tax bills if deal from Republican lawmakers passes
Legislators in the House and Senate have reached an agreement on more property tax relief. But some critics worry the cuts aren’t sustainable forever. Full Story
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![Homes along Lake Austin on March 06, 2023,]()
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Texas Republican lawmakers may “financially handcuff” cities that don’t play by their rules
One proposal would allow the attorney general to sue cities and freeze sales tax revenues for up to 90 days. Full Story
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![A view of the Austin skyline from the dome of the Texas Capitol on Aug. 12, 2021.]()
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Advocates fear Texas lawmakers are about to worsen the state’s homelessness crisis
Republican lawmakers are considering a bill to strengthen the state’s ban on homeless encampments and speed up the eviction process. Full Story
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![Tents are pitched in front of Austin City Hall protesting camping bans on May 10, 2021.]()
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Why Texas Republicans are trying to rein in high home prices and rents
There’s political urgency for Republicans to deal with housing affordability, especially as surveys find most Texans say housing costs are a top concern. Full Story
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![The Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.]()
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Trump officials cut planning grant for Texas high-speed rail between Dallas and Houston
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said if the private sector wants the rail line, it should cover planning costs. Full Story
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![Railroad tracks near a proposed bullet train terminus on the outskirts of downtown Dallas, on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022.]()
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Texas plans to spend $51 billion on property tax cuts. It may not be sustainable.
State budget watchers — and some Republicans — worry Texas is spending too much on property tax cuts. Full Story
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![A row of high-density townhomes in Austin on March 23, 2025.]()
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Texas Republicans take aim at public transit in two major cities
The Texas Legislature is considering bills that transit officials warn could hamper public transportation in the Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth regions. Full Story
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![A Dart bus lies idle at a stop near Westmoreland Station in Dallas on Feb. 2, 2020.]()
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Texas Senate advances bill to allow smaller homes on smaller lots
Lawmakers, who are preempting locals on lot sizes in new subdivisions, have been eyeing ways to allow more homes to be built as the state faces a shortage. Full Story
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![The Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.]()
Credit: John Jordan/The Texas Tribune