Texas committee reviews House Bill 24 to ease residential zoning regulations

The Senate Committee on Local Government convened on May 15, 2025, to discuss House Bill 24, which addresses property rights and the democratic process in zoning changes. This bill is a companion to House Bill 844, which has already been favorably reported and passed in the Senate.

The primary focus of House Bill 24 is to prevent a single neighbor from blocking another neighbor's property changes if the majority of the neighborhood supports the change. This concept, referred to as the "tyrant's veto," aims to facilitate residential development and improve housing affordability in Texas.

Senator Hughes presented a committee substitute for House Bill 24, clarifying that the bill would only apply to projects that increase residential development, explicitly excluding commercial or industrial projects. This amendment was introduced to address concerns regarding the types of projects that could be affected by the bill.

During the meeting, Judge Shepherd from the Texas Public Policy Foundation testified in support of House Bill 24, highlighting the significant housing shortage in Texas, estimated at 306,000 homes. He argued that the bill would empower city councils and property owners to remove zoning regulations that hinder housing production, preventing a minority of landowners from blocking necessary developments.

Conversely, Betsy Greenberg, representing herself, urged the committee to vote against the bill. She expressed concerns that the bill's requirement for a 60% protest from surrounding neighbors still allows for a simple majority vote, which she believes undermines community input. Greenberg shared her personal experience with zoning changes that affected her neighborhood, advocating for the retention of petition rights to ensure that residents have a voice in such decisions.

The committee did not take a vote on House Bill 24 during this session, and further discussions are expected as the legislative process continues. The meeting underscored the ongoing debate over balancing property rights with community interests in the context of Texas's housing crisis.