https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/joshua-fechter/The latest news by Joshua Fechter.enTue, 04 Mar 2025 17:46:08 -0600https://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 Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/06/texas-legislature-housing-affordability-crisis/A likely fight over how much power to take away from local governments may dominate the debate.By Joshua FechterMon, 06 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/06/texas-legislature-housing-affordability-crisis/Texas lawmakers are expected to debate how to curb rising home costs this year as the state continues to grow. Celina in North Texas is one of the fastest growing in the United States.The Celina water tower among newer housing developments in Celina on November 13, 2024.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/21/donald-trump-tilman-fertitta-ambassador/Fertitta, owner of the Houston Rockets and Landry’s restaurant group, hosted a fundraiser for Trump earlier this year.By Jasper Scherer and Joshua FechterSat, 21 Dec 2024 18:11:49 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/21/donald-trump-tilman-fertitta-ambassador/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/19/texas-population-31-million/Texas added nearly 563,000 residents within the last year, new U.S. Census Bureau estimates show.By Joshua FechterThu, 19 Dec 2024 15:59:01 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/19/texas-population-31-million/Texas' population surpassed 31 million people this year, largely due to international migration.The Austin skyline begins to light up as the solar eclipse reaches peak totality on Monday, April 8, 2024.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/18/austin-mayor-kirk-watson/The former state senator spoke with the Texas Tribune’s editor-in-chief about his relationship with state lawmakers and the city’s recent efforts to curb housing costs.By Joshua FechterThu, 19 Dec 2024 12:13:59 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/18/austin-mayor-kirk-watson/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/10/texas-high-speed-rail-trump-legislature/A yearslong effort to bring high-speed rail to Texas has recently shown signs of life, but state lawmakers have consistently put up roadblocks to keep it from happening.By Joshua FechterTue, 10 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/10/texas-high-speed-rail-trump-legislature/Railroad tracks near a proposed bullet train terminus on the outskirts of downtown Dallas in 2022.Railroad tracks near a proposed bullet train terminus on the outskirts of downtown Dallas, on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022. The entities in charge of a bullet train connection between Houston and DFW have faded despite Texas courts approving eminent domain to accomplish the massive project.Ben Torres for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/27/texas-border-lawsuit-razor-wire-fence/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had sued the Biden administration after Border Patrol agents had cut the razor wire.By Alejandro Serrano and Joshua FechterWed, 27 Nov 2024 17:53:38 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/27/texas-border-lawsuit-razor-wire-fence/The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans has instructed the federal government to stop "damaging, destroying or interfering" with Texas’ concertina wire fence in the Eagle Pass area.A row of shipping containers and razor wire placed on the banks of the Rio Grande River by Gov. Greg Abbott to form a makeshift border wall in Eagle Pass on Nov. 19, 2021.Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/05/texas-election-day-trump-harris-allred-cruz-congress-legislature/Texas might not be a swing state, but many of its races will have major consequences to the national political landscape and on the lives of everyday Texans.By Texas Tribune Staff, James Barragán, Jasper Scherer, Matthew Choi, Robert Downen, Alejandro Serrano, Joshua Fechter, Kayla Guo, Pooja Salhotra and Terri LangfordTue, 05 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/05/texas-election-day-trump-harris-allred-cruz-congress-legislature/Voters wait in line at the Houston Community College Southeast voting location in Houston on Election Day.Voters wait in line at the Houston Community College Southeast voting location in Houston on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.Mark Felix for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/01/texas-justice-department-election-monitors/The federal agency agreed their monitors would remain outside polling locations and wouldn’t interfere with voting.By Terri Langford, Joshua Fechter and Kayla GuoFri, 01 Nov 2024 22:44:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/01/texas-justice-department-election-monitors/The Department of Justice announced Friday it would send election monitors to 27 states, including Texas, to keep an eye out for potential voting rights violations on Tuesday.Voters check in to vote at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center in Houston, Tuesday Nov. 8, 2022.Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune