There are many ideas currently being discussed to address housing affordability issues in Dallas.
Something that is strongly worth considering is lowering the minimum lot area required for the construction of new homes.
This idea is not without controversy. In the early stages of development, Dallas and surrounding cities had such an abundance of land that it was much easier to purchase larger lots. Currently, land prices are the main cause of price increases. Residents of many established areas are concerned that the reduction in acreage could lead to drastic changes to the places they call home.
We agree that the City must be sensitive to the concerns of longtime residents. But we also believe that reducing the amount of land needed to build homes will help ensure that Dallas continues to thrive as an affordable city for people of all income levels, especially the middle class. I also think it could be of great help. Lives are being sacrificed here.
In December, five Dallas City Council members signed a memo to begin discussions on reducing minimum lot sizes and allowing duplexes and quadruplexes in single-family residential districts.
The discussion predictably descended into chaos as complex and potentially destructive solutions were all lumped together. Various zoning and land use changes must be considered individually. While the idea of allowing duplexes by right should be put on hold for now, city officials should seriously consider the practical solution of reducing minimum lot sizes.
Minimum lot size varies by Dallas, but ranges from approximately 5,000 square feet to 7,500 square feet. The Austin City Council recently adopted a resolution reducing the minimum lot size from 5,750 square feet to 2,500 square feet. The reduction in minimum lot sizes is expected to allow developers in the market to build more single-family homes. The smaller the site, the cheaper the land and therefore the price of the house.
The move will introduce more housing while encouraging home ownership over renting. Lowering the minimum lot size does not mean that larger lots will be eliminated. It just means that families who can only afford a small home have options other than renting.
Reducing minimum lot sizes has been accepted in the political arena as common sense policy. The Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank, recently released a report suggesting that the market could work more effectively to close the housing affordability gap by relaxing local regulations on lot size. . At the state level, Sen. Paul Bettencourt has introduced a bill that would prohibit large Texas cities from requiring lots larger than 1,400 square feet. Cities should work with residents now to gauge their interest in this type of reform before the state enacts legislation. City officials may consider piloting smaller lots in certain areas where residents can tolerate more density.
For Dallas to remain the vibrant city it has always been, residents and city officials must come together to consider how to best use our land. Reducing the minimum lot area can be a smart solution to support younger residents without impacting long-time homeowners.
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