\u201cUntil this happened, all our ordinances followed state law,\u201d City Manager Jay Chapa said at a recent council work session. \u201cWe just want to be able to say, legally, the council directed us to follow the new state law, and we\u2019re in the middle of actually amending all our ordinances so that we can comply.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lawmakers said many of the changes were aimed at making housing more affordable.<\/p>\n
Such costs have been a top-of-mind issue for many, with 90% of Texans naming it as a problem where they live, according to a 2024 poll.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The median home prices in Texas rose by 40% between 2013 and 2019, according to the Texas comptroller\u2019s office. Fort Worth\u2019s average home price is around $340,000, according to Redfin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
City staff are untangling what must legally change. Council members are expected to adopt related ordinance updates on Sept. 30.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at new Texas laws and how they could change Fort Worth:<\/p>\n
Have questions about the new laws?<\/p>\n
To answer questions from residents and businesses about the new laws and how they\u2019ll affect the city, Fort Worth will host a come-and-go town hall Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the mezzanine at New City Hall.<\/p>\n
Smaller homes on smaller lots<\/p>\n
New homes could be built on smaller lots under Senate Bill 15, which lawmakers touted as a way for more starter homes to be built in new neighborhoods.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The law requires cities to allow such development in new subdivisions. It also permits the use of small, auxiliary residences behind a larger main house.<\/p>\n
Legislators hope this will help lower housing costs.<\/p>\n
The new measure \u201callows the option of building homes at different types and price points to meet the demand and needs of buyers,\u201d Rep. Gary Gates, R-Richmond, said during debate on the bill.<\/p>\n
Under the law, Fort Worth cannot require a single-family residential lot to be larger than 3,000 square feet<\/a>, which will change how the city zones new neighborhoods.\u00a0<\/p>\n The city can continue having its residential zoning districts<\/a>, as the law comes into play when someone wants to develop lots smaller than an area\u2019s zoning district would allow on still-developing property over 5 acres, said Natalie Foster, a spokeswoman with the Fort Worth Development Services Department.<\/p>\n The new requirements wouldn\u2019t apply to existing neighborhoods or in cases where a homeowners association prevents smaller lot sizes.<\/p>\n Fort Worth\u2019s current zoning requirements for residential lots vary by residential district.<\/p>\n The smallest single-family requirement is 2,500 square feet<\/a> for cluster housing and townhouse-type developments. Lot requirements for a new home build range from 5,000 square feet to 2.5 acres.<\/p>\n Some criticized the legislation<\/a> for mandating what kinds of homes can be built and where \u2014 authority historically possessed by cities.<\/p>\n Rep. Ramon Romero Jr., D-Fort Worth, a former member of Fort Worth\u2019s city planning and zoning boards, tried to kill the bill<\/a> during the last days of the regular session in May.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s already been proven that just because you have smaller (homes) does not immediately equate to more affordable (homes),\u201d Romero told The Texas Tribune<\/a>. \u201cSo if the argument is that that\u2019s what it is, then I\u2019d say, show it to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Lawmakers also limited what cities can require related to parking on these small lots. Fort Worth now can only require one parking space per unit, instead of the typical two to four spaces.<\/p>\n Such mandates can still apply to lots greater than 4,000 square feet, said LaShondra Stringfellow, Fort Worth development services assistant director.<\/p>\n What areas are exempted from the new law?<\/p>\n Senate Bill 15 says every zoning district that allows single-family can have a lot size as small as 3,000 square feet in new neighborhoods, with the following exceptions:<\/p>\n Texas eliminates need for home builders to rezone<\/p>\n Developers will have an easier time building apartments and mixed-use developments<\/a> in old buildings and along retail corridors under the new laws.<\/p>\n Namely through Senate bills 840 and 2477, cities must allow such developments in most commercial areas without a change in zoning.\u00a0<\/p>\n That means mixed-use or multifamily residential developments can be built in any zoning district that already allows office, commercial, retail, warehouse or mixed-use projects, with few exceptions. Historically, such repurposing would require the city to rezone.<\/p>\n Fort Worth and other cities are barred from imposing many restrictions on projects that convert old buildings into housing, such as traffic studies and special-use permits.<\/p>\n What land is exempted from the new rezoning requirements?<\/p>\n Over the legislative session, advocates for the bill argued that the rezoning process and city restrictions bog down efforts to create affordable housing.<\/p>\n Parking for such properties will also be affected, Stringfellow said, as the city can only require one parking space per dwelling unit instead of the typical one per bedroom.<\/p>\n The law will require the city to make several changes to its zoning and fee ordinances, Stringfellow said, including adjustments to the transportation impact fee and water maintenance fee.<\/p>\n These changes will affect design standards in neighborhoods such as Near Southside, the Stockyards and Downtown Urban Design District if and when developers convert buildings into housing, Stringfellow said.<\/p>\n What can the city regulate?\u00a0<\/p>\n In projects transforming buildings into housing, the city can still regulate:<\/strong><\/p>\n The city cannot regulate or require:<\/strong><\/p>\n Housing affordability widespread concern<\/p>\n Fort Worth recently had several<\/a> affordable<\/a> housing<\/a> efforts<\/a> crop up.\u00a0<\/p>\n As officials plan out the city\u2019s $840 million 2026 bond proposal<\/a>, some council members are pushing to include money for housing needs. City staff proposed earmarking $5 million for such projects.<\/p>\n Fort Worth is the largest city in Texas that has not included a housing proposition in its bond.\u00a0<\/p>\n Last year, Dallas voters approved that city\u2019s first bond propositions specifically dedicated to housing efforts<\/a>, including $26.4 million for infrastructure and $19 million to address homelessness.<\/p>\n Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org<\/a> or @shawlings601<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Screenshot-2025-08-29-at-5.19.22-PM.png\")
A drafted map by city staff estimates what land might now see houses on 3,000 square foot lots. Some of this land is parks and would only be affected if sold by the city. (Courtesy image | City of Fort Worth)<\/p>\n\n
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A drafted map by city staff highlights in brown where multifamily development and conversion might now be possible without rezoning. (Courtesy image | City of Fort Worth)<\/p>\n\n
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