What exactly happened on September 1, 2025?

Three new state laws set by population size took effect (SB840, SB2477, SB15). Each of these fundamentally changed how housing development works in Texas's biggest cities. The state now has local zoning control. If you live in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, or about 15 other major cities, your neighborhood and city are to abide by these new regulations.

The other State of Texas zoning law that took effect on 9/1/2025 is HB24 which is statewide; it is NOT specific to population. It changes the way residents can protest rezoning for new housing and allows cities to add zoning districts and/or changes more quickly to build housing (the term is “residential” unlike SB840/SB2477 which specify “3 or more units and/or mixed-use residential with 65% housing units).

Which cities are affected?

Rules are the county has to have 300,000 people (at least ) and the city has to have as many as 150,000 people. The highest concentration of cities, by far, is in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with 11 cities.

The list we’ve come up with is for 20 cities throughout the state:

Arlington, Amarillo, Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Fort Worth, Frisco, Garland, Grand Prairie, Irving, Killeen, Laredo, Lubbock, McKinney, Mesquite, Plano, San Antonio

Then there is Houston, a city known for “not having city zoning” but it may just qualify for SB2477.

How do SB840 and SB2477 relate?

The way the bills are written, SB2477 references SB840 in a few ways. For one thing, if SB840 had not passed then SB2477 would have gone away. It needed SB840. Since SB840 passed, now SB2477 is also a regulation. SB2477 presents requirements for converting an existing office building into units and doesn’t touch on “zoning” the land but the existing use. When there are points in SB2477 that need to be clarified, the bills references SB840 and says it has authority.

Can residents opt out of SB840, SB2477 or SB15?

There is no “opt out” options for any of these bills. However, a well written private deed restriction might be of use and in that category might fall HOA agreements. State of Texas law should be reviewed. From findings, it looks as though the test is “more restrictive” has the power. So if an HOA agreement stipulates single family only and HR24 creates a new zoning overlay to allow for “3+ units), the more restrictive would be the single family homes. That would mean, in this example, that a new zoning overlay to encourage new housing could not be applied in the location governed by the HOA. Again, all details should be checked with a legal professional. This is educational, not legal advice.

Are the rules for SB840 being interpreted the same for every city?

Not from what we are seeing and here’s our basis for that response: City of Dallas has a flow chart showing properties that are ‘zoned for multifamily’ can use the SB840 bonus while in Austin, the use of SB840 is for those commercial locations, not existing properties zoned for multifamily as per this worksheet we found (link).

Is there any chance these laws will be overturned?

There could be a chance. Some city officials, like Dallas District 11 Council Member William Roth, have suggested taking legal action to contest these laws as violations of home rule rights. However, until a court rules otherwise or the next legislative session makes changes, these laws are in full effect.