HOMEPAC and the Texas Association of Builders work to keep housing affordability at the forefront in Austin
12 BuildersOutlook 2026Issue8
Building a stronger voice for Housing
HOMEPAC and the Texas Association of Builders work to keep housing affordability at the forefront in Austin
For Texas builders, what happens at the State Capitol rarely stays in Austin. Decisions involving development regulations, impact fees, building codes, infrastructure and workforce development can ultimately affect the cost of every new home. That is why advocacy remains one of the Texas Association of Builders’ most important functions— and why HOMEPAC, TAB’ s political action committee, plays an important role in giving the residential construction industry a strong voice. Supported through voluntary contributions from association members, HOMEPAC supports pro-housing candidates and incumbents for statewide office and the Texas Legislature. Candidates are evaluated on factors including voting records, committee assignments, leadership positions and their understanding of issues affecting residential construction and development.
Affordability at the Center TAB’ s overarching legislative priority continues to be housing affordability and attainability. During the 2025 legislative session, TAB tracked more than 1,600 bills affecting the industry. Among its successes were measures addressing impact-fee transparency, minimum lot-size requirements, building and energy codes, development regulations and investment in technical education to help address the construction labor shortage. Those issues continue to shape TAB’ s advocacy heading toward the 2027 legislative session. Increasing housing supply remains a major concern. TAB supports policies intended to speed development-plan and plat reviews, improve permitting and inspection processes, provide greater flexibility in lot sizes and make it easier to convert some underused commercial properties to residential use.
BUILT FOR THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING EL PASO
WestStar is proud to announce Courtney Yeatman as the new leader of our Residential Construction Banking team.
With 17 years of banking experience, Courtney brings the expertise and local perspective to help builders and developers move projects forward with confidence.
Backed by local decision-making and a team that understands the construction industry, WestStar is committed to the people building El Paso’ s future.
COURTNEY YEATMAN
SVP, Residential Construction Banking Manager
courtney. yeatman @ weststarbank. com 915.747.1671
Equal Housing Lender weststarbank. com
Deposit and loan products are offered through WestStar Bank, Member FDIC.