Meet the Californian who pushed Texas lawmakers to help fix the state’s housing crisis – The Texas Tribune

 

Report on Legislative Efforts to Advance Sustainable Urban Development in Texas

Executive Summary

A multi-stakeholder coalition, spearheaded by the advocacy group Texans for Reasonable Solutions, has successfully advanced significant legislative reforms in Texas to address the state’s escalating housing affordability crisis. These efforts culminated in the passage of new laws designed to increase the housing supply, promote diverse housing types, and streamline development. This report analyzes the strategic approach, legislative outcomes, and direct alignment of these initiatives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The core of the legislative push directly confronts challenges central to SDG 11. Texas faces a severe housing shortage, estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of units, which threatens progress toward Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing. The coalition’s work addresses this by tackling restrictive local zoning and building regulations that have historically limited housing supply and driven up costs.

The new laws promote Target 11.3: Enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization, by enabling:

• Increased housing density through the development of townhomes and apartments.
• More efficient land use by allowing development on smaller lots and in underutilized areas like commercial corridors.
• Conversion of vacant office buildings into residential units.

By proactively reforming regulations, Texas aims to prevent its housing market from mirroring the crisis-level conditions in other states, thereby securing a more sustainable and inclusive urban future.

Interlinked Development Goals

The initiative also contributes to several other interconnected SDGs:

• SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): By working to moderate housing costs, the reforms aim to alleviate a primary financial burden on low- and middle-income families, providing greater access to economic opportunities within major urban areas and reducing inequality.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The affordability crisis was identified as a potential threat to the state’s economy. Ensuring an adequate and affordable housing supply is critical infrastructure for supporting a healthy labor market and sustaining economic growth.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The success of the initiative serves as a powerful case study for multi-stakeholder collaboration, a cornerstone of SDG 17.

Strategic Approach and Coalition Building for Policy Reform

Formation of a Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (SDG 17)

The effort was catalyzed by Nicole Nosek, founder of Texans for Reasonable Solutions, who convened a diverse and bipartisan coalition. This partnership was instrumental in building the political will for change and exemplifies the collaborative spirit of SDG 17. Key members included:

• Conservative think tanks (Texas Public Policy Foundation)
• Social justice organizations (Texas Appleseed)
• Business and industry groups (Texas Association of Business, homebuilders, architects)
• Environmental organizations

This robust coalition, numbering over 60 organizations, demonstrated broad consensus and effectively neutralized partisan opposition by framing the issue through multiple lenses.

Strategic Legislative Approach

Learning from a partially successful attempt in 2023, the coalition adopted a refined strategy for the subsequent legislative session. The methodology involved several key steps:

1. Post-Mortem Analysis: After the 2023 session, the coalition identified a need for more extensive lawmaker education and a more visible, broad-based public campaign.
2. Targeted Messaging: The coalition tailored its message to different political ideologies. For conservatives, the reforms were framed as free-market solutions that cut red tape. For progressives, they were presented as a means to expand economic opportunity and access for lower-income families.
3. Strategic Bill Design: To minimize “Not-In-My-Backyard” (NIMBY) opposition, the legislative slate deliberately focused on areas with lower political resistance, such as retail corridors, vacant office buildings, and large, undeveloped lots, rather than altering existing single-family neighborhoods.
4. Persistent Advocacy and Education: The coalition engaged in regular, direct advocacy with lawmakers from both parties, ensuring they understood the economic and social imperatives behind the proposed housing reforms.

Legislative Outcomes and Policy Impact

Key Legislative Achievements

The coalition’s strategic efforts resulted in the passage of several landmark bills aimed at blunting housing costs and increasing supply. These new laws will:

• Make it more difficult for local opposition to stop new housing projects that meet existing regulations.
• Facilitate the construction of diverse “missing middle” housing, such as townhomes and smaller apartment buildings.
• Allow for the construction of homes on smaller-sized lots in certain areas of the state’s largest cities.
• Focus development on underutilized land, including commercial and retail corridors.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Obstacles and Lessons Learned

The campaign faced opposition from some city officials concerned with the state overriding local zoning authority. It also encountered procedural hurdles in the legislature, which were overcome through the coalition’s rapid, coordinated response and deep understanding of the legislative process. The initial skepticism from some lawmakers highlighted the critical need for sustained education on housing policy’s connection to broader economic health.

Future Policy Agenda for Sustainable Development

While significant progress was made, several key proposals did not pass and are likely to form the basis of future advocacy efforts. These potential initiatives continue the work toward achieving SDG 11 and include:

• Statewide legalization of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), or “granny flats,” to add density within existing neighborhoods.
• Abolishing or reforming city-mandated parking minimums, which can unnecessarily increase the cost of housing construction.
• Allowing houses of worship to build affordable housing on their own land.

The coalition remains committed to monitoring the implementation of the new laws and advancing further reforms to ensure Texas remains a place of opportunity with sustainable and inclusive communities for all residents.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The article’s central theme is the housing crisis in Texas, focusing on the “skyrocketing housing costs” and a “woefully lacking housing stock.” The efforts described aim to make cities like Austin more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by addressing housing affordability and supply. The entire narrative revolves around urban planning, zoning regulations, and creating sustainable human settlements.

SDG 1: No Poverty

• High housing costs are directly linked to poverty and financial precarity. The article illustrates this with a personal anecdote where rent “ate up most of her paycheck,” leaving little disposable income. The goal of blunting high housing costs is implicitly aimed at preventing people from falling into poverty and ensuring they have access to basic needs like shelter.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The article touches upon reducing inequality by making housing more accessible. It notes that the proposed bills would “help families lower on the income ladder access economic opportunity in the state’s major urban areas.” This highlights an effort to ensure that economic growth and urban development benefit all segments of the population, not just the wealthy.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• The article connects the housing crisis to the broader state economy. A report is cited with the subtext: “if people can’t afford to buy a home here, the state’s economy could be imperiled.” This establishes a clear link between affordable housing, the ability to attract and retain a workforce, and sustained economic growth.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The narrative details the process of influencing policy and law-making. It describes how a coalition engaged with the “Texas Legislature,” met with state leaders like the “Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Dan Patrick and then-House Speaker Dade Phelan,” and worked to pass “substantial changes aimed at blunting the state’s high housing costs.” This demonstrates the process of building responsive, inclusive, and representative decision-making institutions to address a critical public issue.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The article provides a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership. Nicole Nosek organized a “bipartisan coalition” that “ranged from conservative think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation on the right to social justice group Texas Appleseed on the left.” This coalition grew to include “some 60 organizations including homebuilders, architects, chambers of commerce, environmental groups and others,” all working together to achieve the common goal of housing reform.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services.
   
   Explanation: The entire article is dedicated to this target. The core problem identified is “skyrocketing housing costs” and a housing shortage where “the state needs hundreds of thousands more homes than it has.” The legislative push was aimed at passing “substantial changes aimed at blunting the state’s high housing costs” and increasing the housing supply to improve affordability and access.
2. Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management.
   
   Explanation: The article discusses specific changes to urban planning and management, such as overriding “city zoning regulations that restrict what kinds of homes can be built and where.” The new laws make it “easier to build the kinds of homes, like townhomes and apartments,” and focus on development in “retail and commercial corridors, vacant office buildings and large lots.” This is a direct effort to reform human settlement planning.
3. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all.
   
   Explanation: The article states that a key argument for the reforms was that they would “help families lower on the income ladder access economic opportunity in the state’s major urban areas.” This directly aligns with the goal of promoting economic inclusion for those who might otherwise be priced out of urban centers.
4. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.
   
   Explanation: The formation and operation of the coalition exemplify this target. The group diagnosed why its initial 2023 legislative push “largely fizzled” and adapted its strategy for 2025 by meeting with more lawmakers and building broader support. This shows a responsive and participatory approach to influencing the decision-making process at the state level.
5. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
   
   Explanation: The success of the housing reform effort is attributed to the “bipartisan coalition organized by Nosek.” The article emphasizes its diversity, including the “Texas Public Policy Foundation on the right to social justice group Texas Appleseed on the left,” as well as homebuilders, architects, and chambers of commerce. This is a textbook example of a civil society partnership driving policy change.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Housing prices and rents: The article uses “skyrocketing housing costs,” “$1.3 million home prices,” and “exorbitant home prices and rents” as key problems. Tracking the median home price and average rent in major Texas cities would be a direct indicator of progress towards making housing more affordable (Target 11.1).
2. Housing supply deficit: The article cites an estimate that “The state needs hundreds of thousands more homes than it has to meet demand.” The number of new housing units permitted and built, especially diverse types like “townhomes and apartments,” would be an indicator of closing this supply gap (Target 11.1).
3. Changes in land use and zoning laws: The article details successful legislative efforts to change local regulations, such as allowing homes “on smaller sized lots” and developing on “retail and commercial corridors.” An indicator would be the number of municipalities that implement these new state laws or the acreage of land rezoned for residential use (Target 11.3).
4. Number of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) built: Although the statewide bill failed, the article mentions the desire to allow homeowners to build “ADUs, casitas, mother-in-law suites or granny flats.” The number of ADUs permitted and constructed in cities that do allow them (like Austin and Dallas) serves as an indicator of housing diversification and density (Target 11.1).
5. Proportion of income spent on housing: This is implied in the anecdote about rent consuming “most of her paycheck.” A formal indicator would be the percentage of households spending more than 30% of their income on housing, which is a standard measure of housing cost burden (Target 11.1).

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

SDGs	Targets	Indicators
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing.	Median home prices and rents. Housing supply deficit (number of new homes needed vs. built). Proportion of income spent on housing. Number of diverse housing types (townhomes, apartments, ADUs) constructed.
	11.3: Enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and human settlement planning.	Number of cities adopting reforms to zoning regulations (e.g., smaller lot sizes). Acreage of commercial or vacant land rezoned for residential use.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all.	Housing affordability metrics for low-income families. Change in residential segregation patterns in major urban areas.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making.	Number of laws and policies passed related to housing reform based on coalition advocacy.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals	17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.	Number and diversity of organizations (public, private, civil society) actively participating in the housing reform coalition.

Source: texastribune.org