In a piece for Forbes, Roger Valdez argues that Austin’s recent zoning changes are “necessary but not sufficient” to increase the city’s housing supply. While local media touted the zoning reform as a major step towards new housing and higher density, the reality is more nuanced. Regulations such as minimum lot sizes, setbacks, and floor area ratio (FAR) requirements limit the number of new units that can be built. Challenges around surface water management, utility bill requirements and financing also pose barriers to building as many new homes as proponents envision.
Austin housing advocates Valdez spoke to said the change would “not have a huge impact” and that few sites would meet the requirements for additional units. “Although there has been a tremendous amount of work and controversy surrounding this change, it does not mean the end of zoning for single-family homes, and it is unlikely that new housing production will increase significantly. If it does come to fruition, it is likely to be expensive given the difficulty of construction.”
For Valdez, the only answer is to abolish the current zoning code altogether. “Unless there are significant changes to development standards, unit additions are unlikely to occur at scale. Considering all other factors such as requirements, it is often not feasible.”