The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 15 with a 28-3 vote, aiming to increase affordable housing by allowing smaller homes on smaller lots.
The bill seeks to address the state’s shortage of approximately 320,000 homes by limiting cities from requiring new subdivision homes to sit on more than 1,400 square feet of land, reducing the typical 5,000 to 7,500 square foot lot size.
This legislation, which offers homebuilders more flexibility, is part of a broader effort to lower housing costs in Texas.
It seeks to relax local housing regulations and create more opportunities for affordable homeownership. However, the bill has raised concerns among some municipalities.
The City of Georgetown, Texas, expressed concerns over Senate Bill 840, filed by Senator Hughes as part of broader housing reform efforts.
SB 840 allows developers to convert commercially zoned properties into residential or mixed-use areas without the need for rezoning.
Georgetown officials are worried that SB 840 could negatively affect the future of its historic downtown area.
They fear the absence of rezoning requirements might lead to unintended consequences for the city’s growth and its ability to collect impact fees.