Housing

The Legislature passed laws allowing smaller homes on smaller lots and making it harder for neighbors to block new housing.

A group of homeowners used the law in 2019 to stop Austin's attempt to rewrite rules about what can be built and where.

This week, Texas lawmakers passed a bill which would make it easier for landlords and homeowners to evict squatters. Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider says the final version, heading to Governor Greg Abbott for approval, strikes a balance between protecting property rights and due process for tenants. Lubbock-Cooper ISD was awarded a $50,000 grant for Excellence in Education.

The Texas Senate is poised to pass legislation that would increase the homestead exemption for property owners in the state. The exemption reduces how much of a home’s value owners can be taxed on. Without state income tax, that increase is one of the few effective ways lawmakers can provide tax relief to residents. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey reports on the exemption increase and the potential impact.

Last night, the Lubbock Planning and Zoning Commission passed a recommended zoning change in the Tech Terrace neighborhood which could pave the way for a new student housing development. Our reporter Samantha Larned has more on the next steps. Work begins Monday to demolish the water tower at 74th Street and Genoa Avenue as part of the city’s long-term water infrastructure plan. Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area.

From now through Feb. 14, the City of Lubbock is accepting applications for its Junior Ambassador Program, offering students a week of cultural experiences in its sister city in Japan this summer. Our reporter Bishop Van Buren has more on the program, which you can sign up for at mylubbock.us/JrAmbassador. Tonight, the Lubbock Planning and Zoning Commission is expected to vote on whether or not to recommend a zoning change. Our Samantha Larned explains this would open up the possibility of a new student housing development at the site of the former Godbold building.

As his first action after arriving at the White House, President Donald Trump pardoned people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including Lubbock man Ryan Zink. Meanwhile in Denton County, KERA's Toluwani Osibamowo reports that federal officials are accusing a homeowner's association of racially discriminating against renters receiving government assistance. And across the state, influenza cases are on the rise.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed an amended complaint Tuesday alleging six of the nation’s largest landlords — including Dallas-based Willow Bridge Property Co. — participated in an illegal scheme allowing landlords to increase rental prices and decrease competition.

A likely fight over how much power to take away from local governments may dominate the debate.

KUT's Olivia Aldridge has more on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawsuit against a doctor in New York for allegedly prescribing abortion medication across state lines. Property tax and insurance are mostly to blame for increasing housing costs in North Texas. KERA's Marina Trahan Martinez reports that renters are also paying for those higher rates.