Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Texas seeks ban on local renter protections

Also today: What can cities do about the most dangerous drivers, and California's warehousing hub faces a slowdown.

A bill proposed in the Texas state legislature aims to block cities from having the authority to regulate evictions. The proposal would prevent municipalities from passing new local tenant protections or enforcing existing regulations — a response from Republican state leaders to ordinances passed in cities like Austin and Dallas to stave off a wave of evictions during the pandemic. Those ordinances require landlords to give renters more notice prior to filing an eviction in court, beyond the state-mandated three days.

The preemption bill comes as most active rental relief programs have ended, and as eviction rates return to — or even exceed — pre-pandemic levels. If the bill passes with a supermajority, the changes could take effect immediately, potentially affecting thousands of renters. Read more from Kriston Capps today on CityLab: Texas State Bill Targets Local Tenant Protections Against Eviction

— Immanual John Milton

More on CityLab

What Can Cities Do About the Most Dangerous Drivers?
Automated traffic enforcement technology has given cities new data about which drivers routinely flout the law, but repeat offenders rarely face serious consequences.

New York State Will Be Able to Pay Its Bills and Employees as Budget Talks Drag On
State legislators passed so-called extender legislation to fund New York's operations and payrolls while Governor Kathy Hochul and fellow Democratic legislative leaders figure out budget details.

The US Warehouse Capital Boomed During the Pandemic. Now It's Facing a Slowdown
A Southern California town known for its warehouse facilities could be a leading indicator of trouble in the US as cargo flows slow and jobs are harder to come by.

Windy City's new leader

"Tonight is just the beginning. With our voices and our votes, we have ushered in a new chapter in the history of our city."
Brandon Johnson
Chicago Mayor-elect
The Cook County commissioner cheered on a crowd of supporters on Tuesday after defeating rival Paul Vallas in Chicago's mayoral runoff. The newly elected leader faces rising crime levels and corporate exits.

Exciting news!

Our podcast Bedrock, USA has been nominated a Webby Award for Limited Series & Specials: News & Politics category. It's a fan-voted award, so we need your support. Click here to vote!

And if you haven't listened yet, now's a good time to check it out.

What we're reading

  • An architect's dream of rebuilding a battered city in Ukraine (The New Yorker)
  • Community college students are vanishing (The Hechinger Report)
  • Mass shootings leave America's mayors on edge (Politico)
  • As schools return to normal, LA teachers hit hard by Covid are left to manage their students' grief (New York Times)
  • Robotaxis aim to take San Francisco on ride into the future (Associated Press)


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