Convenience Big Store: $86M in fees, fuzzy records and big questions surrounding Houston tax breaks

March 9, 2026

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Good morning, Houston.

Here's what you should know to start your day:

Need to know: TSA wait times soared to 3½ hours at Hobby Airport yesterday morning as the partial government shutdown and an influx of passengers combined to create massive lines.
Top of the chart: The most-read story on our site yesterday examined how Texas will have lost at least 12 members of the U.S. House between 2025 and next year.

Here's the rest of the news.

1

The property of former home of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in the Fifth Ward is seen, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Houston. A Houston Housing Authority affiliate has acquired the property and put out an invitation for bids to demolish the historic structure. The church has relocated to a temporary location as it searches for a permanent home.

Houston's housing agency got $86M from apartment tax breaks. Where did it go?

A Houston Chronicle analysis shows that, since 2018, Houston's housing authority has collected more than $86 million in fees and interest from controversial tax-break deals that exempt apartment complexes from paying local property taxes, arrangements that have drawn scrutiny from city and state leaders.

The review also found that roughly $60 million of that money has been spent by the housing authority, now rebranded as Housing Alliance HTX, including millions on land purchases, loan guarantees and other expenses. While the funds do not appear to have greatly expanded the city's affordable housing, they have been used to preserve, repair or redevelop existing properties.

R.A. Schuetz breaks down how much money Houston's housing authority has spent, and what it was spent on.

2

'Dire catastrophe': Corpus Christi could be close to running out of water.

Officials in Corpus Christi say they will face a "water emergency" within months and could run out of water entirely next year.

3

Why thousands of refugees in Texas could face arrest under new Trump policy.

An ICE directive expanding refugee reviews could impact thousands in Texas and trigger prolonged detention, advocates say.

4

Houston rally backs U.S. efforts at regime change in Iran.

Hundreds gathered at Hermann Park to support the U.S. and Israeli military effort to topple the regime in Iran.

5

KP George launches '11th-hour Hail Mary' appeal days before money laundering trial.

County prosecutors urged an appellate court to reject an emergency petition filed by Fort Bend County Judge KP George days before his money laundering trial.

6

Fact check: Are investors buying more than a quarter of single-family homes?

Rep. Josh Riley, D-N.Y., wrote that "nearly 27% of all homes sold in the first quarter of 2025 were bought by investors."

7

Why every Texan should know the Texas duo behind Oscar-nominated 'Train Dreams.'

The film, up for four awards including best picture, is shining a light on creators Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, who have quietly become a force in Lone Star State filmmaking.

#️⃣ Number of the Day

$2.95

Average price of a gallon of regular gas in Houston on Saturday, up from $2.45 the weekend before.

🏀 Sports

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a score with teammate Julian Champagnie (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets in San Antonio, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Photo by: Eric Gay, Associated Press

Rockets: The hot-shooting Spurs and Victor Wembanyama ran away from Houston in the second and third quarters on Sunday.
Astros: Joe Espada says Hunter Brown "sees opening day around the corner," and he's pitching like it. He's displayed overpowering stuff already this spring. Plus: Walker Janek and Peter Lambert are impressing in camp, and Jason Alexander was optioned to the minor leagues.
Olympics: MLB players and owners will need to find an agreement to play in Los Angeles in 2028, but agree the international stage is great for the sport.
World Cup: Fox Sports broadcaster and former Dynamo player Stu Holden talked with the Chronicle about the World Cup coming to Houston, the growth of soccer and more.

🗣️ Opinion

Grok is putting real people's faces on naked bodies. Ted Cruz chairs the Senate committee that could, and should, launch an investigation, writes J.B. Branch in a guest column.
The Trump administration criticized President Joe Biden's use of the autopen, but there is bipartisan precedent for the time-saving device, writes guest columnist Chase Untermeyer, who worked in George H.W. Bush's White House.
Britt Eastland, co-director of Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, writes about how the camp will honor those lost in the July 4 flood by doing everything to protect future campers.
From expiring treaties to AI-accelerated warfare, the guardrails that once limited nuclear risk are rapidly disappearing, writes Dr. Ira Helfand, a two-time Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in a guest column in the Austin American-Statesman.