In recent years, we have repeatedly been told that Texas is facing an affordable housing crisis. In June 2017, the Texas Tribune reported that “more than 2 million urban Texan households, most of them renters, are considered financially burdened by housing costs because they spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing — and…
In November, Austin City Council approved the Family Homestead Initiative. According to the Austin Monitor, Council Member Delia Garza, who sponsored the measure, said she wants to create a separate permitting process for homeowners because they shouldn’t have to contend with the same regulations as large developers. Reducing regulations is always a good thing and…
This week, Harris County approved new development regulations intended to reduce flooding. New homes in unincorporated areas of the county will have to be built to higher standards, including elevations that may be 8 feet higher than previously required. The new regulations will increase building costs by thousands of dollars, and come at a time…
Before the flood waters in Houston had even stopped rising, calls for more land-use regulations to reduce flooding were being voiced. As one example, Bill Balleza on KPRC questioned the wisdom of allowing development near Addicks and Barker reservoirs. In the Chronicle, Bill King wrote, “We will need new, no tolerance development rules prohibit new…
Throughout history, innovators have been criticized and mocked by their contemporaries. They have been accused of insanity and fraud. They have been scorned and ostracized. But when they have been free, they have been able to demonstrate the truth of their vision. When they have been free, they have been able to prove their critics…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on February 13, 2010. Comments have not been migrated. Consider the following: Driving down a road with no posted speed limit, another motorist races past you. A block away you are pulled over and cited for speeding. You ask the speed limit, and the officer says, “Whatever I…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on October 13, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. The American Planning Association recently named Houston’s Montrose one of its “10 Great Neighborhoods” for 2009. The Chronicle laments this award, because the planning that has occurred in Montrose was conducted privately, rather than by the city: As the…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on September 2, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. In the aftermath of the city granting permission to Buckhead Development to build the Ashby High Rise, Houston bloggers have jumped in with a variety of suggestions for avoiding similar conflicts in the future. One of those suggestions comes…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on August 13, 2009. Comments have not been migrated. A recent piece on the KHOU web site asks if zoning is in Houston’s future. While the article does not come to a definitive conclusion, it implies that more restrictive land-use controls will be necessary. Or, as urban planner…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on December 4, 2008. Comments have not been migrated. The comments to a post at Houston Strategies evolved into a lengthy debate over zoning. The debate was civil and interesting. The advocate for zoning presented reasonable arguments which are shared by many people. Below are some excerpts from…