Building a more affordable Texas

January 10, 2016

Kathleen Hunker

This report discusses why Texas cities should reassess their current building codes to identify which restrictions are truly essential and which place idiosyncratic preferences above the public’s basic need for safe and adequate accommodations.

View Full Publication

Matthew Bernard and Lynn Warner v. City of Oakland, California

Date Filed: June 29, 2026 Original Court: Northern District of California Case Status: Pending Matthew Bernard and Lynn Warner own an undeveloped residential plot in Oakland, California. In 2020, the Oakland Fire Department ordered them to clear dead and dying trees from their land or face ongoing fines. The landowners hired an arborist and removed...

June 29, 2026

Taxes & Spending

Just the Facts: Local Government Spending

Despite billions in property tax relief provided by recent state legislatures, Texans’ property tax bills continue to increase due to unrestricted spending at the local level. Key points: City and county government spending continues to outstrip increases in both population and inflation. While the state government has constitutional and statutory spending limits, local governments do...

August 10, 2026

Local Government

Growing Pains: The Cost and Contribution of Impact Fees in Texas

Texas’s rapidly growing population requires new infrastructure and improvements, which oftentimes come at great expense. To fund these projects, local officials often impose impact fees on new development—but their use comes at a cost. Key points: Texas is the fastest-growing state in the nation. As such, it has robust infrastructure requirements. To help finance capital...

August 12, 2026

Kathleen Hunker

Related content

Matthew Bernard and Lynn Warner v. City of Oakland, California

Just the Facts: Local Government Spending

Growing Pains: The Cost and Contribution of Impact Fees in Texas