Budget for ONE Conference, April 27-29, in San Antonio! 
Advocating for a Stronger Rental Housing Industry in Texas.
As the only organization representing all aspects of the industry with a full-time presence at the Texas Capitol, TAA ensures the industry’s voice is heard on legislative and regulatory issues that impact property owners, developers, builders, and managers.
TAA’s advocacy supports both the industry and its residents by collaborating with stakeholders—including government agencies, resident groups, and advocacy organizations—to address challenges and drive consensus-based solutions.
Key achievements include establishing safety standards for residential housing, supporting affordable housing initiatives, and championing free-market policies to reform property tax administration. TAA also advocates for voluntary participation in government assistance programs and has led efforts to improve Texas’s civil justice system through tort reform.
TAA advocacy has strengthened Texas’s rental housing industry by promoting growth, innovation, and sustainability. It continues to support a thriving environment for residents, businesses, and communities across the state.
TAA's Legislative Priorities for the 90th Texas Legislature (2027)
The 89th Texas Legislative Session was one of the most productive legislative sessions for rental housing owners in recent history. TAA passed landmark legislation to reform Texas’ eviction laws and establish an expedited civil process to remove squatters (SB 38).
Although evictions are always a last resort and affect a limited number of residents, property owners and managers must have access to a timely, consistent legal process. Having a predictable legal remedy for managing breaches of a lease agreement encourages the continued investment and development of rental housing in Texas and benefits those residents who comply with their lease obligations by ensuring legal obligations and responsibilities are consistently managed.
For 2027, TAA’s primary focus will be to ensure the reforms made in the 89th Legislative Session are not weakened. Below are the priorities that will guide TAA's advocacy at the Capitol during the 2027 Legislative Session.
Defending SB 38 and 2025 Reforms
With the passage of Senate Bill 38, the Legislature and the Governor gave property owners a more clear and efficient process for removing squatters and other unlawful occupants under Chapter 24 of the Texas Property Code. The law took effect on January 1, 2026. Apartment owners know how costly, and at times unsafe, it can be to regain possession of a unit from someone who has no right to be there. TAA’s top priority is to defend these important reforms, and we will be closely monitoring several issues related to implementation, notice requirements, and enforcement.
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Ensuring Property Tax Relief Reaches Apartment Owners
Property taxes remain the single largest and least predictable cost most apartment owners face. Last session delivered real relief for homeowners, including raising the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, but state leaders have made clear there is more work to do. For the 90th Legislative Session TAA will work with legislative leaders to provide property tax relief for rental housing owners and improve the consistency and predictability of the property tax process in Texas.
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Lease Fee Transparency
TAA supports transparency and consistency regarding the disclosure of rental housing fees. Our support is more than lip service – TAA unilaterally and without legal or governmental order, amended its proprietary lease form over four years ago to clearly delineate fees and charges on our lease cover page. Our lease form’s structure provides potential residents with a clear, up front and simplified view of the core costs associated with renting a housing unit prior to the execution of a lease agreement.
Rental pricing may reflect multiple factors including the type of rental housing formats noted above, but also renter selections including unit location and configuration and lease duration in addition to governmental program requirements for a particular type of unit. In addition, fees may change during the cycle of a lease term: a resident may opt to access a community amenity, add a pet, add parking or another service offered by the property. Fees to cover these expenses may be mandatory or optional, fixed or variable or tied to third party services.
The Federal Trade Commission is currently considering a fee transparency rule to apply to rental housing leases across the country. In addition, the City of Austin has recently adopted an ordinance requiring rental housing owners and managers to disclose certain fees.
TAA will continue working with all stakeholders to ensure prospective residents are provided the tools to make an informed decision when selecting rental housing.
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Staying Ahead of Emerging Issues
Beyond these priorities, TAA is closely monitoring a broader list of issues that could be considered by the 90th Texas Legislature including:
- Prohibitions on Foreign Ownership and Leasing of Property
- Application Fraud
- Apartment Security
- Management Licensing
- Preemption of Local Ordinances Impacting Rental Housing
- Emotional Support Animals
- Credit Reporting
All of these issues could shape how apartment owners operate every day, and it is imperative for TAA to have a prominent voice in these legislative discussions as we progress through the 90th Texas Legislative Session in 2027.
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For more information on our legislative priorities or to ask questions, please contact us at govtaffairs@taa.org.