The city of Austin recently approved a measure that would reduce the minimum lot size for homes to 2,500 square feet, making way for smaller units and higher density. Could such a change be the answer to Dallas' affordable housing crisis? A handful of Dallas City Council members say they want to debate its merits.
On Wednesday, 1st Ward City Councilman Chad West submitted a memo with five signatures, 5th Ward City Councilman Jaime Rezendes, 7th Ward City Councilman Adam Bazaldua, and 9th Ward City Councilman Jaime Rezendes. Paula Blackmon and 11th Ward City Councilwoman Janie Schultz requested a staff briefing on the matter.
“Housing in the City of Dallas is becoming unaffordable for many prospective residents due to a lack of available units,” West wrote in an email to CandysDirt.com. “Reducing the minimum lot area and increasing the number of housing units allowed on a site will allow for the development of additional housing units in residential-only areas. We will see what the process is to amend the Building Code and the Dallas Development Code to allow for construction.”
The date for the Dallas City Council's next information session is set for Nov. 15, but there's no word on whether officials will be prepared to present information that soon. The memo calls for the item to be placed on the agenda within 30 days.
Amendments to Austin's minimum lot size ordinance
West has said he would like to consider Austin's code as a model, but says he doesn't like every aspect of Dallas' code.
The Austin resolution also legalized all site housing by right and exempted costly and burdensome site plan submissions for two- to four-family homes.
Minimum lot sizes for residential properties in Dallas average approximately 5,000 to 7,500 square feet, depending on where basic zoning is established.
“Essentially, this allows for the construction of 'missing intermediate housing' – accessory dwelling units, duplexes, four-family homes, and row homes,” West wrote in the paper. I wrote this in an editorial column. dallas morning news In July. “We want Dallas to make two major amendments to Austin's plan to begin the process of doing this in our city. The first is technical, similar to Houston's to adjust the minimum lot area to 1,500 square feet.”
West said Dallas is “a state capital and a college town with a population density of about 3,000 people per square mile, as opposed to Austin, a world city with a population density of about 3,500 people per square mile.” He explained that it was similar to.
Dallas' population density is approximately 3,700 people per square mile.
Another amendment West is proposing to Austin's plan is “values-based” and would only allow for the construction of missing halfway houses on landfills where no housing currently exists.
Mr. West thanked his colleagues for adding their names to the memo. “He has been active in the intense discussion of rethinking our suburban design to better accommodate the growth Dallas is experiencing and the workforce housing needs of our teachers and health care workers. , public safety personnel, and many others.”
