THE HOME BUILDER
December 2025
Page Two
The HomeFront Government Affairs News and Info
David Lehde Director of Government Affairs
‘Tis Always the Season: No Lumps of Coal, Just Results
its for accepted trail heads, providing a better opportunity for credits than what was seen in the original ordinance. Builder Advocacy in the 89th Legislature Already Yielding Relief for Association Members Legislation advocated for by the Texas Association of Builders and the Dallas BA is already having an impact in our service area. The City of Princeton voted in November to keep the currently scheduled expiration date of November 30 for its controversial moratorium on building and develop- ment. The town had already extended the mortarium twice, but recently en- acted state law, which increased trans- parency and added policy guardrails, has set a more reasonable standard that must be met. HB 2559, by State Representative Jared Patterson and State Senator Paul Bettencourt, was priority legislation of TAB and Dallas BA. HB 2559 requires cities to provide more reasonable no- tice and opportunities for input from citizens and stakeholders before go- ing to the extreme choice of adopting a moratorium, an action that should only be used in times of necessity and emergency. The proposed time offers the ability to seek clarifications on what is presented for justification of a moratorium. Under the current statute, questions or the need for clarification can go unanswered before a temporary moratorium automatically takes effect. This legislation also specifies expiration limits on moratoriums, holding the duration of a moratorium to 90 days and prohibiting a local government entity from adopting a moratorium longer than 180 days,
Builder and Developer Community Successfully Advocates for Balance in Parkland Fees The Dallas City Council on No- vember 5 voted to update the city’s parkland dedication and fee-in-lieu ordinance for the first time since the ordinance’s inception in 2018. As we did in 2018, the Dallas BA monitored and weighed in on the ordinance to help ensure a balanced approach. Of key concern were the assessed rates for multifamily development. The original proposal included a fee increase for two-bedroom homes that was counter to housing affordability. Dallas BA joined a fellow stake- holder in successfully advocating that the fee be lower than proposed. The City Council, with concerns about housing attainability in the nation’s ninth largest city, agreed and approved rates for single-family and multifamily that were part of a compromise with the development community. The Council also agreed to dis- count multifamily units that are more than two-bedrooms, as the city sees a need for more of those units. Builders on newly developed lots in Dallas should be aware of the new fees, which can only be assessed for new growth. The updated fee for new single-family homes will be $1,355.20. One-bedroom multifamily and those with more than two-bedrooms will see a fee of $677.60, while two-bedroom multifamily homes will see a fee of $1,016.40. Builder and Developer advocacy also resulted in language edits related to the Park Director’s authority on land dedications and purchases, putting better guardrails on a process that can effectively act like eminent domain. The ordinance also includes cred-
including extensions.
changes, favorable local tax structure, more efficient permitting processes and protection from harmful ordinances and regulations. HOMEPAC of Greater Dal- las, the non-partisan political action committee, is an essential part of the advocacy program. It provides another opportunity for Association members to participate in their industry’s advo- cacy efforts. For more information, visit https://dallasbuilders.org/homepac/ or contact the Association’s Director of Government Affairs. “We, remain in Statu quo, and all unite in offering you, & yours, the compliments of the season; and the return of many, many more, and hap - py ones.” – Former President George Washington, in letter to Thomas Law, the husband of the Washingtons’ eldest granddaughter
The new law also requires that a plan be provided to address purported shortages or public utility needs before a moratorium can be extended. This would protect property owners from open-ended moratoriums that can and had occurred before the new law became effective. The Dallas BA has been the tip of the spear on this issue, opposing Princeton’s ordinance from the start and raising serious questions about the evidence that was used as a basis for the ordinance. Opportunity for All Members to Participate in the Cause HOMEPAC of Greater Dallas has announced that registration is open for the current cycle. A core mission of the Dallas Builders Association is advocacy. Successes have included needed code
The Home Builder is published monthly by the Dallas Builders Association at 5816 W. Plano Pkwy., Plano, Texas 75093. Telephone 972-931-4840. BARCIE VILCHES, Editor
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