Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. With the Austin and San Antonio regions expected to collectively grow from 5.2 million to 8.3 million people by 2050, Texas economic leaders and developers say investing in efficient transportation, affordable housing and sustainable water sources will be key to support that population surge. Henry Cisneros, the former San Antonio mayor and former U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development, said the state is at a critical crossroads in figuring out how to manage such growth.