Abbott Pushes Back on Cities Blocking Housing

Governor Greg Abbott is calling out cities that are trying to get around Texas' landmark housing reforms.

According to a recent Texas Tribune article, the Governor said some cities are "skirting the law" by adopting new local requirements that make it harder to build housing. He added, "Now we're adding teeth to that."

Last year, Texas passed bipartisan housing reforms to make it easier to build more homes, including allowing smaller homes on smaller lots. More housing means more choices for Texans and helps reduce upward pressure on housing prices.

Unfortunately, some cities are responding with new regulations that can make projects difficult or impossible to build. The Texas Tribune highlighted examples of new local requirements that can make otherwise viable housing projects difficult or impossible to build.

Governor Abbott also said he wants to make it easier for homeowners to build backyard homes, often called accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and to hold local governments accountable if they ignore state housing laws.

As our founder Nicole Nosek told the Texas Tribune:

"A garage apartment for Grandma isn't an urban planning crisis."

Texans for Reasonable Solutions appreciates Governor Abbott's commitment to ensuring the housing reforms passed by the Legislature are fully implemented. We look forward to working during the 2027 legislative session to build on these successes and expand housing opportunities across Texas.

Read the full Texas Tribune article by Joshua Fechter:

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/07/31/texas-greg-abbott-suburbs-housing-campaign/