https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/joshua-fechter/The latest news by Joshua Fechter.enWed, 30 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/30/texas-legislature-homelessness-crisis-bills/Republican lawmakers are considering a bill to strengthen the state’s ban on homeless encampments and speed up the eviction process.By Joshua FechterWed, 30 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/30/texas-legislature-homelessness-crisis-bills/Texas lawmakers are debating legislation advocates say will make the state's homelessness problem worse. One proposal would allow the state to clean up homeless encampments like this one in Austin and charge the city for labor.Tents are pitched in front of Austin City Hall protesting camping bans on May 10, 2021.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/22/exas-republicans-legislature-housing-affordability/There’s political urgency for Republicans to deal with housing affordability, especially as surveys find most Texans say housing costs are a top concern.By Joshua FechterTue, 22 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/22/exas-republicans-legislature-housing-affordability/Texas Republicans hope a legislative package debated this year will increase home construction and lower the cost of home ownership.The Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.John Jordan/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/14/texas-high-speed-rail-planning-grant-cut/Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said if the private sector wants the rail line, it should cover planning costs.By Joshua FechterMon, 14 Apr 2025 18:38:41 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/14/texas-high-speed-rail-planning-grant-cut/Railroad tracks near a proposed high-speed rail terminus on the outskirts of downtown Dallas. The Trump administration canceled a federal grand that was to have been used to plan the Texas high-speed rail line.Railroad tracks near a proposed bullet train terminus on the outskirts of downtown Dallas, on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022.Ben Torres for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/10/texas-property-tax-cuts-budget/State budget watchers — and some Republicans — worry Texas is spending too much on property tax cuts.By Joshua Fechter and Jasper SchererThu, 10 Apr 2025 16:12:28 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/10/texas-property-tax-cuts-budget/A row of high-density townhomes in Austin on March 23, 2025.A row of high-density townhomes in Austin on March 23, 2025.John Jordan/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/07/texas-republicans-public-transit-dart-project-connect/The Texas Legislature is considering bills that transit officials warn could hamper public transportation in the Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth regions.By Joshua FechterMon, 07 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/07/texas-republicans-public-transit-dart-project-connect/A Dart bus lies idle at a stop near Westmoreland Station in Dallas on Feb. 2, 2020.A Dart bus lies idle at a stop near Westmoreland Station in Dallas on Feb. 2, 2020.Duy Vu for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/19/texas-senate-smaller-homes-vote/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.By Joshua Fechter and Zach DespartWed, 19 Mar 2025 20:21:21 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/19/texas-senate-smaller-homes-vote/Senate Bill 15, which would reduce the amount of land cities require single-family homes in new subdivisions to sit on, cleared the chamber Wednesday by a 28-3 vote.The Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.John Jordan/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-urban-population-census-2024/Texas’ population growth has slowed, but the state’s major urban areas are still adding hundreds of thousands of residents.By Joshua Fechter, Graphics by Chris EssigThu, 13 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-urban-population-census-2024/Texas continued to add more people between 2023 and 2024, new census data found.Pedestrians walk through downtown Dallas on Nov. 07, 2023.Ben Torres for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/12/texas-bill-evictions-landlords-renters-legislature/The proposal is part of a push by Republican legislators aimed at helping property owners deal with squatters.By Joshua FechterWed, 12 Mar 2025 19:37:03 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/12/texas-bill-evictions-landlords-renters-legislature/A writ of possession and a notice to vacate are taped to the door at an apartment complex in Houston in 2023. House Bill 32 would speed up the state’s eviction process, if passed.A writ of possession and a notice to vacate are taped to the door at an apartment complex in Houston on April 11, 2023.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/04/texas-senate-housing-crisis-solution/The goal of the new legislation is to help drive down the cost of housing so that more Texans can afford homes.By Joshua FechterTue, 04 Mar 2025 17:46:08 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/04/texas-senate-housing-crisis-solution/Texas lawmakers on Tuesday debuted bills that they hope will bring down the cost of new housing. Many Texans say they can't afford to buy as the cost of homes has risen.Star Creek, a neighborhood in Allen, on May 8, 2023.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/03/texas-house-senate-property-taxes/House and Senate lawmakers plan to spend at least $6 billion on property tax cuts, but haven't yet agreed on how much relief should go to homeowners over businesses.By Joshua FechterMon, 03 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/03/texas-house-senate-property-taxes/An East San Antonio neighborhood seen on May 25, 2024.An East San Antonio neighborhood seen on Saturday, May 25, 2024.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/25/texas-housing-costs-sales-tax/Officials said the state’s higher cost of living means less state sales tax revenue, which makes up more than half of the state budget.By Joshua FechterTue, 25 Feb 2025 16:40:45 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/25/texas-housing-costs-sales-tax/Texans are spending a larger share of their budget on housing and food, costs that largely don’t generate sales tax revenue, representatives with the state comptroller’s office said Tuesday.The Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.John Jordan/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/24/texas-house-property-tax-cut/Lawmakers will debate how to spend $3.5 billion in proposed tax cuts, a legislative priority for Republican leaders.By Joshua FechterMon, 24 Feb 2025 14:44:27 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/24/texas-house-property-tax-cut/The Texas House on Monday released its priority tax cut legislation. The two chambers will debate their dueling proposals that aim to offer relief to home and business owners.Newly developed apartments sit next to older homes in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas on July 11, 2024.Azul Sordo for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/21/texas-bill-vacant-office-residential-legislature/Supporters hope easing zoning rules will entice landlords to renovate and ease the state’s housing crisis.By Joshua Fechter, Graphics by Carla AstudilloFri, 21 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/21/texas-bill-vacant-office-residential-legislature/A view of downtown Dallas from The Tower Club on the 48th floor of the Santander Tower in downtown Dallas in 2023. Texas metros have a glut of vacant offices space and state lawmakers want to help owners convert that space into housing.A view of downtown Dallas from The Tower Club on the 48th floor of the Santander Tower in downtown Dallas, on Nov. 07, 2023. Texas metros have a glut of vacant offices space driven by the rise of remote work, overbuilding and other factors during the pandemic. One option companies are doing to combat the changes, is to convert office space into residential housing.Ben Torres for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/11/texas-senate-committee-property-tax-cut/The marquee proposal would increase the amount of a home’s value exemption from school taxes to $140,000 from $100,000. The legislation must win approval from the House next.By Joshua FechterTue, 11 Feb 2025 11:05:52 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/11/texas-senate-committee-property-tax-cut/Housing development in Celina on Nov. 13, 2024.Housing development in Celina on Nov. 13, 2024.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/10/greg-abbott-property-taxes-voters/Local officials, school advocates and tax policy experts said such a proposal could have dire impacts on basic services.By Joshua Fechter and Jess HuffMon, 10 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/10/greg-abbott-property-taxes-voters/Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wants all local governments to seek voter approval before increasing local taxes — and at least 66% must say yes for the hike to go into effect.Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender-affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Abbott ended the event by promising to call a special session for school choice, after the current special session for property tax resolves.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/04/texas-property-taxes-republicans/Gov. Greg Abbott said cutting taxes is a top priority, however, state lawmakers don’t have as much money to plug into tax cuts as they did two years ago.By Joshua FechterTue, 04 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/04/texas-property-taxes-republicans/Texas' Republican leadership says they want to cut property taxes. A smaller budget surplus will make that more challenging.A residential neighborhood seen Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Midland.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/28/texas-trump-federal-spending-freeze/Texas cities, counties, higher education institutions and nonprofits clambered Tuesday to gauge the potential fallout from the suspension, later blocked temporarily by a federal judge.By Jayme Lozano Carver, Jessica Priest, Joshua Fechter, Matthew Choi and Terri LangfordTue, 28 Jan 2025 20:35:02 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/28/texas-trump-federal-spending-freeze/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/22/austin-texas-rents-falling/A massive apartment building boom in the Austin-Round Rock region has driven rents downward, real estate experts and housing advocates have said.By Joshua FechterWed, 22 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/22/austin-texas-rents-falling/Rents in Austin have declined on average for nearly two years amid a boom in apartment construction.A large apartment complex south of the downtown skyline in Austin on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/16/fort-worth-austin-population-growth/The growth is fueling higher rents and home prices in the North Texas city that was once seen as a more affordable option to Dallas and other major cities.By Joshua FechterThu, 16 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/16/fort-worth-austin-population-growth/Fort Worth was the fastest growing city in Texas, according to the state demographer. That growth has brought challenges, including higher rent and housing costs.Downtown Fort Worth on September 5, 2018.Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/08/texas-immigration-mass-deportations-economy/“We wouldn’t survive” without undocumented workers, one South Texas produce business owner said. By one estimate, 8% of Texas’ workforce lacks legal status.By Alejandra Martinez, Alejandro Serrano, Berenice Garcia, Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Joshua FechterWed, 08 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/08/texas-immigration-mass-deportations-economy/Construction workers building homes in San Antonio on Dec. 10, 2024.Construction workers building homes in far west San Antonio on Dec. 10, 2024.Scott Stephen Ball for The Texas Tribune