Texas withdraws request to block U.S. Justice Department from monitoring state’s elections
The federal agency agreed their monitors would remain outside polling locations and wouldn’t interfere with voting. 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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![Voters check in to vote at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center in Houston, Tuesday Nov. 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ housing shortage is getting worse, report says
Texas builds more homes than other states but hundreds of thousands more are still needed, the report said, contributing to higher housing costs. Full Story
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![New home construction in north Longview's Hidden Hills subdivision on December 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Takeaways from our reporting on Texas’ housing affordability crisis
The Texas Tribune examined the state’s housing affordability crisis and why the state has struggled to build enough homes to meet demand. Full Story
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![San Antonio neighborhoods on May 25, 2024.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
How 11 Texas cities made housing unaffordable — and what’s being done to fix it
Texas desperately needs more and denser housing to keep up with the demand. But zoning restrictions get in the way, a Texas Tribune analysis found. Full Story
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![Share art for the zoning regulations story for the affordable housing series.]()
Credit: Carla Astudillo -
Texas’ high housing costs sparked a movement to bring them down. The fight could shape the state for years to come.
A new breed of activists wants Texas to tame costs by building more housing. But longstanding opposition to such policies remains strong. Full Story
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![Council members and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson are present in person during the Austin city council meeting on Thursday, May 16, 2024 in Austin. Zohaib "Zo" Qadri, Paige Ellis, Mackenzie Kelly, Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool and José "Chito" Vela were in person with Mayor Kirk Watson]()
Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune -
Texas rejects insurance rate increase for coastal homeowners, businesses
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association officials argued they needed a 10% rate increase to help insure a growing number of policyholders. Full Story
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![Damage to homes caused by a tornado that moved through Round Rock on March 21, 2022.]()
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Affected by Texas’ high home prices and rents? We want to talk to you
The Texas Tribune is writing about the state’s housing affordability crisis. Help us tell the story. Full Story
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![A residential neighborhood seen Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Midland.]()
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Texas would need about $81.5 billion a year to end property taxes, officials say
Texas Republicans have been trying to reduce the state’s high property taxes for years, but some acknowledge eliminating them would be too expensive. Full Story
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![An Aerial image of a suburban neighborhood in San Marcos on October 18, 2021.]()
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Texas must build hundreds of thousands of homes to lower housing costs, says state comptroller
Texas needs hundreds of thousands more homes than it has, per one estimate. That shortage has driven up home prices and rents. Full Story
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![A San Antonio neighborhood on Saturday, May 25, 2024.]()
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Texas Rangers find no evidence of efforts to sway 2022 election results in Harris County
One county employee was charged in the probe, however, after investigators said he failed to make sure polling locations had enough ballots. Full Story
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![Harris Co. District Attorney Kim Ogg addresses the media at the Criminal Justice Center in Houston on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune