The Texas Model

Texas Gave Cities a Tool for More Housing Affordability. Some Are Throwing It Away.

Housing affordability is one of the Lone Star State’s – and greater Houston’s – most pressing challenges. Recent estimates suggest Texas’ statewide housing shortage exceeds 300,000 homes, applying upward pressure on rents and prices in ways that squeeze working households, young families, and seniors looking to downsize. The gap is especially severe for first-time homebuyers,...

Going Medieval on Education Technology

Going Medieval on Education Technology  Key points: Texas schools have acquired millions of one-to-one devices for use as educational technology. These devices are used for instruction, practice, assessment, and independent study. Significant evidence suggests that using screens reduces students’ reading ability, and the evidence for other subjects is mixed. Exposure to screens also risks harm...

Homelessness Services Audits

In 2013, the Obama Administration offered “Housing First” as the means to end homelessness in 10 years. Over a decade later, homelessness is more prevalent than ever, and taxpayers have been financing ever-increasing funding to programs that are failing to achieve their stated goal of ending homelessness. Key points: The “Housing First” approach was proposed...