Homeowners

The Latest from the TDP

Texas Democrats believe that the ability to live in secure, accessible and affordable housing, available without discrimination, is essential to giving families a sense of community, self-respect, and dignity. We are committed to making the dream of home ownership and clean, safe rental housing a reality for more Texas families.

In the last year, Texas homeowners have faced – along with the rest of the nation – the severe challenges that have surrounded the subprime mortgage crisis. A recent study showed that Texas ranked 8th in the country in the percentage of homeowners whose mortgage loans that were subprime (Source:The Corporation for Enterprise Development). Even before the bubble burst on the housing market, Texas homeowners faced serious challenges:

Texas is the Most Expensive Place to Insure a Home – The average premiums for homeowner’s insurance policies is $1,409, the highest in the nation and almost double the national average. (Source: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal).

Texas has the Highest Property Tax Burden in the U.S. – The empty rhetoric from Republicans aside, because Texas Republicans have refused to follow the lead of Texas Democrats and increase the homestead exemption, Texas homeowners must suffer under the highest property tax burden in the country. (Source: Tax Foundation).

Utility Rates Increase 64% Since Deregulation – In the decade since utility deregulation occurred here in Texas, “rates have skyrocketed higher than any other state with such open competition” – increasing by 64% from 1999 to 2007. (Source: Associated Press) Houston and Dallas actually have the highest utility bills in the entire nation. (Source: Houston Chronicle).

Texas homeowners are feeling the pinch from Republicans in Texas and in D.C. who have spent the past ten years pushing failed economic policies at the expense of Texas homeowners. Texas Democrats are committed to lowering utility and insurance bills and protecting the dream of homeownership for Texans today in the future. Learn more about this issue from the following recent news items: