Civic Insights with David Billings
Over the past several weeks, we have been discussing the growing housing debate in Texas and the potential impact on communities like those here in Rockwall County.
At the center of the conversation is a simple question: How do we keep housing attainable for families while our communities continue to grow?
During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, lawmakers passed several bills aimed at addressing the state’s growing housing supply gap. Texas continues to experience significant population growth, and housing construction has struggled to keep pace with demand.
Key legislation included:
- Senate Bill 15 – Small-Lot Development Reform
- Senate Bill 840 – Regulatory Changes to Encourage Housing Development
- Senate Bill 785 – Regulatory changes to new HUD-code manufactured housing.
- Seante Bill 840 – Regulatory changes to mixed-use and multifamily residential development projects and conversion of certain commercial buildings to mixed-use and multifamily residential occupancy.
- House Bill 24 – Housing Production and Regulatory Reform
- House Bill 21 – Housing Finance Corporation Reform
Taken together, these bills signal a clear direction from the Texas Legislature. Policymakers are increasingly adopting a supply-side approach to housing policy, based on the idea that increasing the availability of housing is one of the most effective ways to improve affordability.
These reforms focus on:
- Reducing development barrier
- Allowing higher housing density
- Increasing land availability
- Reforming affordable housing financing programs
While some of these ideas remain controversial in local government circles, they reflect a growing recognition that housing affordability is closely tied to housing supply.
The Federal Housing Debate Is Here
While Texas lawmakers are working to address housing supply at the state level, a parallel conversation is unfolding in Washington.
Congress is currently considering major bipartisan housing legislation designed to modernize federal housing programs and reduce barriers to development.
Two major proposals are moving through Congress:
- H.R. 6644 – Housing for the 21st Century Act
- S. 2651 – Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act
H.R. 6644 recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 309–108, demonstrating rare bipartisan agreement on housing policy.
The legislation focuses primarily on reducing regulatory barriers that can slow or increase the cost of building housing.
Key provisions include:
Removing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Development
- Allowing the use of ready-to-use, pre-approved home designs, enabling builders to obtain permits faster and begin construction more quickly.
- Modernizing and streamlining federal and local housing processes.
- Strengthening local housing operations and community capacity to produce housing in both rural and urban areas.
Modernizing HUD Programs
- Updating rules for manufactured housing and clarifying federal standards.
- Modernizing the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the largest federal block grant program supporting affordable housing development.
- Allowing certain small-scale housing developments to move through environmental review processes more efficiently.
Supporting Community Banking and Housing Finance
- Streamlining regulatory thresholds so well-managed community banks can focus more on lending and less on administrative burdens.
- Expanding community and rural banks’ access to stable deposits to support local lending.
- Encouraging the creation of new community banks and protecting access to banking services in rural areas.
Why H.R. 6644 Matters for Texas and Rockwall County
For fast-growing communities like those in Rockwall County, the Housing for the 21st Century Act could have several practical effects.
The legislation is designed to:
- Speed up housing development timelines
- Expand the use of manufactured and modular housing
- Strengthen federal housing programs that support local housing initiatives
- Support community banks that finance local development
Importantly, the bill does not impose federal zoning mandates on local governments. Instead, it focuses primarily on modernizing federal programs and removing regulatory barriers that can slow housing construction.
The Senate Proposal: ROAD to Housing Act
The Senate version of the legislation, S. 2651 – the ROAD to Housing Act, passed the U.S. Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 89–10.
While similar in spirit to the House bill, the Senate proposal includes additional provisions designed to encourage housing development through targeted incentives.
Key elements include:
- Community Investment and Prosperity Act – Expands banks’ ability to invest in housing and community development projects.
- Housing in Opportunity Zones – Prioritizes federal grants supporting housing construction in designated Opportunity Zones.
- Build Now Act – Encourages housing production through incentive-based programs tied to Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).
- RESIDE Act – Supports the conversion of vacant buildings into housing.
- Housing Affordability Act – Updates FHA multifamily loan limits to encourage apartment construction.
- Planning and Implementation Grants – Provides grants to help state and local governments implement housing reforms.
- Modular Housing Production Act – Encourages expanded production of modular housing.
- Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization – Updates lending standards for manufactured housing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
- Accelerating Home Building Act – Promotes the use of pre-approved housing design “pattern books” to reduce permitting delays.
Why the Senate Bill Matters for Rockwall County
Several provisions in the Senate proposal could intersect directly with local housing policy in communities like those in Rockwall County.
These include:
- Housing supply incentive grants to local governments
- Incentives to reduce zoning and land-use barriers
- Faster environmental review for housing projects
- Expanded housing finance investment tools
- Support for modular and manufactured housing development
- Improvements to disaster recovery housing programs
Importantly, like the House bill, the Senate proposal does not mandate federal zoning changes. Instead, it uses financial incentives to encourage communities to adopt policies that increase housing supply.
Why This Debate Matters Locally
What makes this moment significant is that housing policy discussions are now occurring simultaneously at the federal, state, and local levels.
Across the political spectrum, federal and state policymakers increasingly agree that housing supply challenges must be addressed.
Many of the proposals being discussed focus on:
- Local zoning regulation
- Permit streamlining
- Reducing regulatory barriers that slow housing construction
Looking ahead to the 90th Texas Legislative Session, it is likely that additional proposals will emerge that could affect local land-use policy.
Possible policy discussions may include:
- Further minimum lot size reform
- Expand Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
- Permit streamlining and approval deadlines
- Expanded use of manufactured and modular housing
- Infrastructure financing tools to support housing growth
For communities like those in Rockwall County, where population growth continues, these policy discussions will likely shape how cities plan for future development.
Final Thought
The movement to reduce regulatory barriers in order to increase housing supply is real and it is increasingly bipartisan.
Republicans and Democrats at both the federal and state levels are advancing proposals designed to expand housing production and improve housing affordability.
This places local governments at the center of an important challenge: how to carefully expand housing supply while preserving local control over land-use decisions, retain zoning powers, and protecting infrastructure capacity.
Cities will ultimately face an important choice.
They can work collaboratively with state and federal leaders to help shape practical housing solutions or they can rely on the courts as the primary arena for resolving conflicts over development and zoning policy.
Either way, the debate is coming.
The question before us is simple:
Do we plan for the future, or will the future plan for us?
🎙️ Continue the Conversation
Listen to my podcast, “As Fate Would Have It.” My co-host Dave Martin, host of The Good Government Show, joins me as we talk with government and local leaders about what’s happening in Fate and across Rockwall County.
New episodes drop monthly. Give it a listen and let me know what topics you’d like us to cover.
About the Author
David Billings, former Mayor of Fate, has served the community for over a decade. A longtime business leader in the telecommunication industry, Navy veteran, and resident of Rockwall County, he brings both professional and civic experience to his writing on government, budgeting, and local economics. He is a graduate of Leadership Rockwall, North Texas Commission Leadership Program, active in several Rockwall County non-profits boards, and the American Legion.
He is passionate about civic involvement in local government, maintaining transparent governance and thoughtful strategic planning to preserve a bright future for the regions.
