The coastal city also has been trying for years to develop a seawater desalination plant, but its efforts have lagged as big, thirsty industries continue to locate nearby and a five-year drought persists.
Economy
Get the latest on jobs, business, growth, and policy shaping the state’s economy with in-depth reporting from The Texas Tribune.
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Texas’ housing crisis
Austin rents have fallen for nearly two years. Here’s why.
A massive apartment building boom in the Austin-Round Rock region has driven rents downward, real estate experts and housing advocates have said.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas has a big water problem. This state lawmaker hopes he has the solution.
Texas’ population is booming and there is not enough water for everyone. State Sen. Charles Perry hopes to fix that.
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Demographics
How Fort Worth supplanted Austin as Texas’ top boomtown
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.
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Economy
Will Republican control of Congress lead to updated ag laws? Texas farmers hope so.
The historical bipartisan legislation includes a bevy of policies from crop insurance to food stamps.
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Economy
Meta to move content moderators to Texas as part of plan to end fact-checking program
The tech giant’s decision to end the program comes as CEO Mark Zuckerberg seeks to mend ties with the incoming Trump administration.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas has a housing affordability crisis. Here’s how state lawmakers may tackle it in 2025.
A likely fight over how much power to take away from local governments may dominate the debate.
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Economy
Harris County program decreases automatic evictions when tenants don’t come to court
After the court eviction diversion initiative started, default evictions favoring landlords dropped 44%.
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2023 Session Recap
Beginning Jan. 1, cars registered in Texas won’t need to pass a safety inspection, but owners will still pay the fee
Noncommercial cars in 17 counties will still have to pass an emissions test to obtain a state registration.
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Economy
Farm Bill gets extension as Congress passes spending package and averts shutdown
The legislation includes financial aid and money for recent natural disasters, but farmers still will be relying on outdated provisions from the 2018 bill.