Dallas City Council discusses allowing multiplex homes in single-family zoned neighborhoods
DALLAS - Dallas City Council members are discussing whether or not the city should consider allowing four-plexes to be built in neighborhoods zoned for single-family homes.
It's a hot button topic.
Some say it is a way to make housing more affordable, while others say it will only help developers, while crowding neighborhoods with more traffic and fewer trees.
Homeowners say if the city of Dallas effectively ends single family zoning, it will drastically change their biggest investment, which is not only their home, but also their neighborhood.
The idea is to allow tri-plexes and four-plexes to be built in all Dallas neighborhoods.
Supporters argue the more housing density there is, the more affordable it will become.
Right now, the multi-family structures can only be built in certain neighborhoods, where the zoning allows them.
This proposal is a concept that the Austin City Council approved last summer, and Wednesday, speakers from Austin addressed Dallas City Council members, along with developers.
But homeowners asked council members to protect the neighborhoods they invested in.
"Compact development offers better environmental benefits than sprawl. Reducing lot sizes can create more walkable, bikeable, and transit-oriented options for Dallas residents," said Luke Metzger, with Environment Texas.
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Some of the proposed fee increases are enormous, especially compared to Dallas suburbs, and industry leaders say that could cause a developer to potentially delay or move a project elsewhere at a time when affordable options are greatly needed in Dallas.
"I build single family homes in Midway Hollow that 90% of residents cannot afford," developer Matt Hinterlong said. "We need to remove zoning requirements and promote density and alternative housing types in the city."
"Everyone picks zoning that picks their lifestyle. That quality of life will be protected. If multifamily is adopted, single family zoning is gone for good," Dallas homeowner Ed Zahra said.
"People in South Dallas, east, west, and north want single family neighborhoods protected," Dallas homeowner Cookie Peadon said.
While several speakers said reducing lot sizes in Dallas would lead to more affordable housing, city staff told council members at a special meeting last month that the concept is not about creating affordable housing, but rather more housing options.