“A FAIRER BALANCE IN LAND USE”: Bill to Amend Zoning Challenge Threshold Co-Authored by Eckhardt Passes Senate

For Immediate Release: Contact:
May 26, 2025 Jeffrey Clemmons
214-244-6058 | Jeffrey.Clemmons@Senate.Texas.gov
“A FAIRER BALANCE IN LAND USE”: Bill to Amend Zoning Challenge Threshold
Co-Authored by Eckhardt Passes Senate
AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Senate passed HB 24. Many working Texans struggle with housing
costs and have asked their community leaders to take action, including reforming zoning laws to
enable more kinds of housing to be built, a process which typically involves notifying residents
near rezoned properties about the rezoning.
Under Texas law, if a property falls within 200 feet or accounts for 20% of a rezoned area,
neighboring residents can challenge the rezoning, requiring a supermajority of the community’s
governing body to rezone. In Austin, this means that a single zoning challenge could require 9 of
the 11 councilmembers approving the change; from 2020-21, there were 20 valid petitions filed
compared to just 3 in the City of Dallas. HB 24 increases the threshold for property owners by
requiring that their properties account for 60% of the rezoned area and it lowers the threshold
required for the city council to approve the change to a simple majority vote.
Senator Eckhardt made the following statement about HB 24:
“This legislation is about trusting cities to make the best zoning decisions for their
communities. This legislation strikes a fairer balance in zoning so we can expand
housing at all income levels.”
Sarah Eckhardt is the third-term Democratic State Senator representing District 14, comprising Austin and
surrounding areas. She serves on the Administration, Border Security, Nominations, and Veterans Affairs
committees in the 89th Legislative Session, and has previously served on the Water, Agriculture, & Rural
Affairs and Local Government committees. A proud UT Law and Public Affairs alum, Senator Eckhardt was
the first woman to serve as Travis County Judge from 2014-2020.