Make room for homes with parking reform
Let communities build the parking they need — and the housing Texans need.
Many Texas cities require new homes and businesses to include a minimum number of parking spaces, regardless of the needs of the people who will use them. Those mandates consume land, increase construction costs, and can make otherwise feasible housing projects too expensive to build.
Parking reform gives property owners more flexibility to decide how much parking their development needs. It helps communities make room for more homes, businesses, and public spaces while responding to local demand.
Why parking rules affect housing affordability
A parking space comes with a cost. Developers must buy the land, prepare the site, and build the parking. Garages add even more expense. Those costs become part of the cost of housing even for residents who drive less or do not own a car.
Parking requirements also shape what can fit on a property. A backyard apartment, small apartment building, or mixed-use development may have enough room for homes but struggle to accommodate the required parking. When that happens, a rule about storing cars becomes a barrier to housing people.
Reducing unnecessary parking requirements can:
- Lower the cost of building homes. Developers can spend less on parking that residents may not need.
- Make better use of land. More space can support homes, shops, and community amenities.
- Expand housing choices. Smaller projects and infill housing become easier to build.
- Support walkable neighborhoods. Housing near transit and everyday destinations can reflect residents’ transportation needs.
Texas cities are already leading the charge
Austin eliminated minimum parking requirements citywide in 2023. Dallas adopted major parking reforms in 2025, removing or reducing requirements for many developments.
Houston has taken a targeted approach through market-based parking areas, where development can respond to demand rather than mandatory minimums. Arlington has also revised requirements for certain developments.
These changes reflect the practical needs of our communities. Namely, that a parking formula written into a city code should not determine whether a community can build the homes it needs.
What Texans for Housing supports
Texans for Housing supports reducing and removing parking mandates that stand in the way of affordable, attainable homes. Practical reforms include:
- Removing minimum parking requirements, especially for housing near transit and smaller residential projects.
- Allowing shared parking so nearby uses can serve different needs at different times.
- Allowing parking costs to be charged separately from housing costs, giving residents more choice.
- Managing curb parking directly as communities grow.
Does parking reform eliminate parking?
No! Removing a parking minimum allows property owners to provide parking based on the needs of residents and customers.
On-street parking needs can be addressed through tools such as pricing, permits, and time limits. Requiring every new home to include a fixed number of off-street spaces is a costly way to address a problem that varies from neighborhood to neighborhood.
Texas communities need the flexibility to build for the people who live in them. Updating parking rules is one practical step toward more homes, lower development costs, and better use of our land.