Since 2005, Texas has taken a new approach to adult corrections that is still tough, but also smart. By expanding alternatives to incarceration such as evidence-based practices in probation and drug courts, the state has achieved a double-digit reduction in crime while avoiding $2 billion in projected expenses on building new prisons.
Economy
Austin’s Simple Fix for Soaring Housing Costs
After years of watching home prices skyrocket out of reach for first responders, nurses, and young families, in December 2023, Austin city council voted to rewrite its zoning code. The first phase of its HOME Initiative—known as HOME-1—effectively allowed up to three homes on most lots that previously could host only one. A year later,...
December 9, 2025