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Repeal not Revision
In cities across the nation, zoning laws are being revised to allow duplexes, fourplexes and other small multifamily housing in areas previously restricted to single-family homes. The argument behind these measures is that fewer government controls and restrictions on development will spur the construction of more affordable housing. The argument is correct, but relaxing land-use…
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A Bill to End Single-family Zoning
A North Carolina senator has introduced a bill that would eliminate single-family zoning throughout the state. The bill would require local governments to allow duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in all areas zoned for residential. Not surprisingly, local governments are objecting. Local government officials argue that the bill interferes with their power to dictate land use….
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Freedom: An Idea that Works
Imagine for a moment, that you want to open a restaurant in an impoverished neighborhood in your city. When you apply for the necessary permits at the Health Department, you are told that you will only be allowed to open your restaurant if you agree to sell a percentage of meals below your costs. You…
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Zoning or not, Here They Come
Government officials frequently cite the government’s police powers as a justification for their policies. While this can seem plausible in some situations, the City of Houston has decreed that this includes dictating what color individuals may paint their home. This past week, the Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Powell v. City of Houston….
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The Road to Progress?
For the past several years, a controversial highway expansion has pitted neighbors against one another in Collin County. The proposed plan will wipe out homes and encircle what are now quiet neighborhoods. While nearly everyone agrees that the expansion is needed, nobody wants it in their backyard. But as an article in D Magazine points…
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A Challenge to Preservation
A Houston couple has sued the City of Houston over its preservation ordinance. The case is due to be heard by the Texas Supreme Court on January 5. The couple’s suit claims that Houston’s preservation ordinance constitutes zoning. Houston’s charter requires a citywide referendum before zoning can be implemented, and no such referendum was held…
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The “Z-word” is Back in Houston
In January, an explosion at a metal fabricating facility in Houston killed two workers and damaged hundreds of nearby buildings and homes. The tragedy has provided some with a renewed zeal to point out the alleged dangers of Houston’s lack of zoning. One Houstonian was quoted in an AP story: I feel like it needs…
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Tilting at Windmills
Nineteen Austin property owners have filed suit against the city. They claim that efforts to revise the city’s zoning ordinance have violated state law requiring the city to inform property owners of zoning changes and consider their protests against such changes. According to KVUE in Austin: Through the lawsuit, the residents are seeking that the…
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Voltaire and Historic Preservation
Voltaire is widely credited with saying, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” This quote, whether Voltaire actually said it, is often cited by defenders of free speech. Those who write or speak popular ideas have little fear of government reprisal. But those who…
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The Tool Cities won’t Use to Lower Housing Costs
Reform Austin recently published a story chiding state officials for interfering to “delay, postpone or outright stop the construction” of affordable housing by local governments. The article goes on to claim that “cities all across the Lone Star State are using every tool in the toolbox to crack the housing problem.” Interestingly, the article makes…
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Short-term Rental Supporters are Short-sighted
A pair of bills have been introduced in the current Texas legislative session that would limit the regulations that local governments can impose on short-term rentals (STRs). A coalition of organizations involved in STR support the bills, but those organizations are short-sighted. Rather than oppose any controls and regulations on their economic freedom, these organizations…
