SB 2477 - NYU Furman Center

State Land Use Enacted Legislation

Bill #	State	Year	Party	Topic
SB 2477	TX	2025	R	Building code reform, By-right zoning, Density Increases, Development Fees, Enforcement, Impact fees, Minimum parking requirements, Other streamlining

Provided by Furman

Summary

Regulates the conversion of older office buildings into mixed-use or multifamily residential housing.

“Mixed-use residential” describes land use or development that is both used as residential and nonresidential, in which the residential uses are at least 65 percent of the total square footage of the development.

“Multifamily residential” describes a site where there are three or more dwelling units within one or more buildings.

Applies to municipalities with a population greater than 150,000 that is wholly or partly in a county with a population greater than 300,000.

The statute significantly limits municipal authority to obstruct these conversions. Cities are prohibited from requiring traffic impact studies, mandating additional parking beyond existing capacity, or enforcing density limits stricter than 36 units per acre. Furthermore, municipalities cannot impose design standards more restrictive than the International Building Code or require discretionary zoning changes, such as variances or special use permits.

Are proposed to be converted for at least 65% of the building and at least 65% of each floor of the building that is fit for occupancy.

Were constructed at least five years before the proposed date to start the conversion.

If a project meets these state standards, the municipality must provide administrative approval without requiring a vote from the governing body. Conversions are generally exempt from new impact fees unless water/wastewater demand increases. However, these rules do not apply near heavy industrial sites, airports, or military bases. Affected parties or housing organizations may sue for non-compliance, with prevailing claimants eligible for attorney’s fees.

Provided by lawmakers