Committees in the House and Senate of the Texas Legislature are considering legislation this week that would:
- Allow multiple residential units on property
- Reduce lot sizes and setbacks
- Allow single-family homes to be used as an amenity for rent in residential areas
House Bill 2789/Senate Bill 1412
Legislation would allow accessory dwelling units on single-family residential lots, limited only by lot size. The bills would allow a unit of some size unit on any lot.
HB 2789 was heard last week in the House Land and Resource Management Committee; SB 1412 was heard Monday, April 3 in the Senate Local Government Committee. The City of Irving communicated its concerns last week. This letter addresses HB 2789. A similar letter also was sent to the sponsor of the Senate bill.
House Bill 2367/Senate Bill 1466
This proposed legislation, HB 2367 and SB 1466, would allow a single-family home to be used as an “amenity” for rent, such as leasing a swimming pool, indoor home theater or the backyard for use on a day-only basis (no overnight stays). This would be allowed regardless of zoning or the proximity or other structures, with limited regulatory authority available to the city.
HB 2367 was presented in a public hearing Wednesday, March 28 in the House Land and Resource Management Committee. It is currently pending. The City of Irving communicated its concerns to the House committee members in a letter.
House Bill 3921/Senate Bill 1787
This legislation would strip a city or county of its ability to enforce new or existing regulations regarding lot sizes and setbacks in residential zoning districts. Testimony during an interim hearing in 2022 blamed city regulations for high housing costs in Texas. If enacted, HB 3921 would allow more residential neighborhood density, even in areas already zoned.
SB 1787 was heard in the Senate Local Government Committee on Monday, April 3. HB 3921 is set for a hearing in the House Land and Resource Management Committee on Wednesday, April 5.The City of Irving communicated its concerns about HB 3921 in a letter to the committee.
Contact Legislators
Irving residents have been very vocal about local neighborhood issues, such as housing density and use of rental property. These bills could reverse the progress the city has made in addressing complaints.
To comment on this legislation, contact the committee members.
House Land & Resource Management Committee
- DeWayne Burns, dewayne.burns@house.texas.gov
- Glenn Rogers, glenn.rogers@house.texas.gov
- Cecil Bell, cecil.bell@house.texas.gov
- Keith Bell, keith.bell@house.texas.gov
- Brad Buckley, brad.buckley@house.texas.gov
- Lina Ortega, lina.ortega@house.texas.gov
- Ron Reynolds, ron.reynolds@house.texas.gov
- Mike Schofield, mike.schofield@house.texas.gov
- Carl Sherman, carl.sherman@house.texas.gov
Senate Local Government Committee
- Paul Bettencourt, paul.bettencourt@senate.texas.gov
- Drew Springer, drew.springer@senate.texas.gov
- Sarah Eckhardt, sarah.eckhardt@senate.texas.gov
- Roland Gutierrez, roland.gutierrez@senate.texas.gov
- Bob Hall, bob.hall@senate.texas.gov
- Robert Nichols, robert.nichols@senate.texas.gov
- Tan Parker, tan.parker@senate.texas.gov
- Angela Paxton, angela.paxton@senate.texas.gov
- Royce West, royce.west@senate.texas.gov
Contact phone numbers can found at the Texas Legislature’s website.