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.
Local Government
Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
FACT SHEET: Understanding Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Taxpayer-funded lobbying (TFL) is a complex and unfortunate feature of state and local governance. While lobbying is typically associated with private interest groups attempting to influence government decisions, taxpayer-funded lobbying flips this model: it involves government entities themselves using public funds to influence legislative outcomes. The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s...
May 1, 2026