The challenge
Large minimum lot sizes kept new, more affordable homes from being built in central Houston.
The case
Houston has no conventional zoning, but its rules required large minimum lot sizes. In 1998 the city cut the minimum lot size inside its central loop from 5,000 to 1,400 square feet, and extended the change to most of the city in 2013. Builders responded by replacing older single homes with clusters of townhouses, adding tens of thousands of homes in established neighborhoods and helping keep Houston among the more affordable large US cities.
Why it worked
A small technical rule change unlocked a lot of housing without a political fight over 'zoning'. It shows how much hidden regulations can restrict supply.
Sources
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