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Presenter urges Fort Worth leaders to balance density, homeownership after California lesson
Summary
Jennifer Hernandez, a land‑use attorney visiting from California, told the Fort Worth council retreat that California’s housing policies have made homeownership largely unattainable and urged focus on starter homes, context‑sensitive density and fiscal supports for local governments.
Jennifer Hernandez, a partner in Holland & Knight’s land‑use and environmental practice, told Fort Worth council members that California’s policy choices show how easily housing markets can become unaffordable and fiscally strained.
Hernandez opened by stressing homeownership’s role in long‑term family stability. “Home ownership is a non negotiable in this world ticket to stability,” she said, arguing that policies that focus solely on income‑restricted units can trap families and limit upward mobility. She gave a concrete affordability metric, saying California is “running right now at about 9 to 1” (median home price to median income), far above the 3–5 ratio she described as supportive of attainable ownership.
Hernandez attributed the affordability crisis to several drivers: high per‑unit construction costs for subsidized units, state mandates that limit local discretion, and policy choices that pair dense infill with aggressive transit and parking restrictions. She cited an example figure for California of “a little over $800,000 per apartment to build” for income‑restricted units and referenced RAND research comparing California building costs to those in Dallas and Denver.
She criticized one‑size‑fits‑all climate and transit policies when applied without regard to local context, saying they can raise costs and lengthen commutes for many households. In response to council questions about how Fort Worth should engage Austin, she urged a pragmatic mix of solutions rather than importing policies wholesale.
On solutions, Hernandez recommended emphasizing the “missing middle” and starter homes that enable mobility up the housing ladder, and preserving local design influence even where state law imposes minimum zoning requirements. She told the council that restoration of attainable starter home product and careful calibration of inclusionary requirements and labor rules are needed to preserve both affordability and fiscal balance for cities.
Council discussion included questions about which California policies most drove cost increases and how Texas municipalities could advocate differently in state legislatures. Hernandez acknowledged differences in state context but urged Fort Worth to press for workable funding and design approaches that preserve both homeownership pathways and viable infill.
The presentation closed with council members thanking Hernandez and saying they would use the remarks to inform future local and state advocacy.
