Housing affordability is an issue top of mind for 9 out of 10 Texans (Adams et al., 2024). Median priced, newly constructed homes are out of reach for 74% of Texas families (Zhao, 2024, p. 8). Local regulations, like restrictions on minimum lot size, account for 20.4% of Texas home prices (King, 2018, para. 8). Senate Bill (SB) 15 seeks to mitigate the soaring cost of housing by prohibiting municipalities from preventing the development of small lots on which starter homes can be built. Eliminating this aspect of municipal government interference promises to help increase the supply of housing and permit market forces to better cater to prospective homebuyers.
Higher Taxes on the Horizon: Highland Park ISD
Many city, county, and school district officials are in the early stages of deciding where to set their tax rates for the next fiscal year. In some cases, these local decisions will push property taxes higher, creating new challenges for family budgets and forcing tough personal choices. Given the very real prospect of tax hikes on the...