AUSTIN- Today, TPPF’s Taxpayer Protection Project released brand new research analyzing housing affordability in Texas. The research outlines the effects of housing reforms that have already been put into place and the future of housing affordability in Texas. Texas’s housing market is challenged by supply-side constraints, rooted in restrictive zoning, large-lot mandates, escalating regulatory fees, and runaway property taxation. The American Dream of owning a home is getting further out of reach so we need states like Texas to encourage building, remove red tape and allow more Americans to be able to afford housing.
This research paper highlights the following:
- Texas’s housing affordability crisis is supply-driven: a 306,000-home shortfall, falling permits, and a $321,000 median price reflect regulatory barriers blocking construction needed to meet population growth.
- Government regulation accounts for 23.8% of a new home’s price ($93,870) and 40.6% of multifamily costs, among the largest single drivers of unaffordability.
- Texas property taxes hit $89.4 billion across nearly 5,000 taxing units in 2025, growing 364% since 1998—far outpacing population and inflation combined.
“The only way the Texas Miracle can continue is if people can afford to live here. A shortage of housing and rising property taxes have made owning a house difficult for all Texans,” said Campaign Director Jose Melendez.
“90% of Texans consider housing affordability a problem. The state legislature must take steps to rein in local government spending and cut burdensome red tape so the people of Texas can afford to live,” said Policy Director James Quintero.
TPPF is also unveiling the Texas Housing Regulation Cost Tool. This first-of-its-kind tool will allow Texans to see exactly how much local regulations are costing them when it comes to housing. Look up your city or town and see just how much different regulations are costing homeowners.
Read the full research paper here.