Houston Daily

Governor Greg Abbott has signed three bills aimed at addressing the housing shortage and affordability in Texas. The signing ceremony took place at the Texas Capitol, where Abbott was joined by lawmakers and housing policy advocates.

"Housing affordability is one of the key issues on the minds of Texans today," said Governor Abbott. "Thankfully, we have taken large steps to make the American dream of affording a home a reality. Thank you to all the lawmakers and housing advocates who continue working to make Texas the best place to live, work, and raise a family."

The new laws include Senate Bill 15, which prevents cities from requiring large lot sizes for homes on unplatted tracts over five acres. This change is expected to allow for more compact and dense development. The bill also restricts municipalities from imposing certain requirements on small lots, such as setback requirements, covered parking mandates, multiple parking spaces, off-site parking obligations, permeable surface minimums above 30%, specific ceiling heights, limits on building bulk, or wall articulation rules.

Senate Bill 840 enables mixed-use and multifamily developments in areas previously zoned for office, retail, or warehouse use in large cities. It also removes some fees and requirements that can hinder new development.

House Bill 24 changes the valid petition process—sometimes called the “tyrant’s veto”—to make it easier for zoning changes that permit additional residential construction. Supporters believe this will help increase housing supply and improve affordability across Texas.

The bills were authored by Senator Paul Bettencourt (SB 15), Senator Bryan Hughes (SB 840), Representative Gary Gates (SB 15), Representative Cole Hefner (SB 840), and Representative Angelina Orr (HB 24).

A video of the full bill signing ceremony is available online.