Houston, TX Zoning
Districts & Requirements

Every zoning district in Houston with permitted uses, setbacks, height limits, and density requirements — in plain English. Houston has no zoning code — the largest U.S. city without one. Land use is governed by deed restrictions (private), Chapter 42 (the subdivision/lot-size/setback ordinance), Chapter 26 (parking), and a residential buffering ordinance. Instead of use districts, Houston controls form: lot size, building lines, parking counts, and buffering. Texas SB 840 (effective September 1, 2025) further preempts municipal restrictions on multifamily and mixed-use development in commercial areas.

Official Development Code →Interactive Zoning Map →GIS Portal →

16

Zoning districts

7

Overlay districts

2,300,000

Population

2024

Code adopted

Quick Reference

Find your district, see what you can do. Click any row for details.

DistrictAt a glanceHeightCoverage
SF-STD3,500 SF minimum lot. The default across most of Houston. No use restrictions beyond deed restrictions.No city limit (IBC applies — Type V-B: 40 ft / 3 stories)No citywide cap (deed restrictions may impose one)
SF-REDBelow 3,500 SF with compensating open space. Down to 1,400 SF average. The townhouse and cottage play.No city limit (IBC applies)No citywide cap
THZero-lot-line attached product. 1,400 SF lots, 15-ft wide. Houston's most common infill product inside the Loop.No city limit (typically 3 stories / 35–40 ft)No citywide cap
MF-SM3–8 unit buildings. Livable Places amendments made these feasible again. Missing middle at Houston scale.Per IBC construction type (Type V-B: 40 ft / 3 stories typical)No citywide cap
MF-LG9+ units. Full site plan review, fire access, open space, and parking required. No density cap.No city limit (IBC construction type governs)No citywide cap
COMNo use restrictions, no height cap, no FAR. Parking and building lines are your only constraints. Houston's default.No city limitNo city limit
SB840State law: multifamily by-right in commercial areas. 36 units/acre, 45 ft, 1 space/unit. Effective Sept 2025.45 ft minimum (or city max, whichever is greater)No FAR imposed
DR-SFPrivate covenants enforced by the city. 25–30 year terms. The closest thing Houston has to residential zoning.Per deed restrictions (often 2–2.5 stories)Per deed restrictions (if specified)
DR-NONENo deed restrictions, no zoning. Build anything that meets code. The freest land in any major U.S. city.No city limitNo city limit
WPOpt-in walkable street designation. Parking reduced up to 100%. Wider sidewalks, ground-floor transparency required.No city limitNo city limit
TODNear METRORail stations. 50% parking reduction within 1/2 mile. No density cap.No city limitNo city limit
BUF-HR30–40 ft buffer required when high-rise (75+ ft) abuts single-family. 8-ft fence, landscaping, lighting controls.No city limit (>75 ft triggers buffering)Buffer zone reduces buildable area
BUF-MR15 ft buffer required when mid-rise (65–75 ft) abuts single-family on local streets. Lighter than high-rise.65–75 ft (triggers mid-rise buffering)Buffer reduces buildable area
HISTCOA required for exterior changes. Demolition review. 23 districts, 308 landmarks. Heights is the big one.Per district guidelines (Heights: 2 stories typical)Per district guidelines
TIRZ28 TIRZs across Houston. Tax increment funds infrastructure. No use restrictions — purely financial.Per underlying regulationsPer underlying regulations
INDNo industrial zoning exists. If deed restrictions allow it (or don't exist), you can build industrial anywhere.No city limitNo city limit

Single-Family Residential — Chapter 42

2 districts in Houston

SF-STD

Standard Single-Family Lot

The baseline single-family product under Chapter 42. 3,500 SF minimum lot size, 25-ft front building line on long blocks. No city-imposed use restrictions — deed restrictions control what you can build.

What you can build

  • ✓Single-family home
  • ✓Accessory dwelling unit (garage apartment)
  • ✓Home occupation
  • ✓Anything deed restrictions allow
  • ✗Lots below 3,500 SF without performance standards
  • ✗Whatever deed restrictions prohibit (varies by subdivision)

Key numbers

Height
No city limit (IBC applies — Type V-B: 40 ft / 3 stories)
Lot min
3,500 SF
Width
Not specified (typically 35 ft+)
Coverage
No citywide cap (deed restrictions may impose one)
Front
25 ft (blocks >600 ft) / 10 ft (blocks <600 ft)
Side
5 ft minimum single-family
Rear
Per plat (typically 5–10 ft)

What this means in practice

The 25-ft vs 10-ft building line hinges on block length — measure it. On a 5,000 SF lot at 25-ft setback, your buildable depth shrinks fast. A 50×100 lot with 25-ft front + 10-ft rear = 65 ft of buildable depth × 40 ft wide (5-ft sides) = 2,600 SF footprint. Two stories gets you ~5,000 SF. Always pull deed restrictions before making an offer — they're the real use control in Houston.

SF-RED

Reduced Single-Family Lot (Performance Standards)

Chapter 42 lets you go below 3,500 SF if you meet performance standards — compensating open space, average lot size of 1,400 SF across the block face. This is what enabled Houston's townhouse boom inside the Loop.

What you can build

  • ✓Single-family detached on narrow lots
  • ✓Townhouse-style single-family
  • ✓Cottage court / small-lot product
  • ✓Garage apartment / ADU
  • ✗Individual lots below 1,400 SF (unless block-face average meets 1,400 SF)
  • ✗Whatever deed restrictions prohibit

Key numbers

Height
No city limit (IBC applies)
Lot min
1,400 SF (average across block face)
Width
15 ft (if block-face average is 18 ft)
Coverage
No citywide cap
Front
10 ft (most reduced-lot plats are on short blocks)
Side
0 ft (common-wall) or 3–5 ft
Rear
Per plat (typically 3–5 ft)

What this means in practice

This is the regulation that made Houston's inner-Loop townhouse market. Buy a 5,000 SF lot, replat into two 2,500 SF lots (or three 1,667 SF lots), build 3-story townhouses at $350K–$500K each. The math: 1,400 SF footprint × 3 stories = 4,200 SF per unit. Compensating open space typically means a shared courtyard or wider sidewalks. Run your replat through the city before closing — it takes 60–90 days.

Attached Residential — Chapter 42

1 district in Houston

TH

Townhouse / Attached Single-Family

Attached single-family on platted lots as narrow as 15 feet. Each unit sits on its own lot — this is fee-simple, not condo. The dominant infill product inside I-610.

What you can build

  • ✓Attached townhouses (fee-simple)
  • ✓Row houses
  • ✓Zero-lot-line detached
  • ✗Rental apartments (that's multifamily, different requirements)
  • ✗Commercial ground floor (no mixed-use entitlement needed — but deed restrictions matter)

Key numbers

Height
No city limit (typically 3 stories / 35–40 ft)
Lot min
1,400 SF (average across block face)
Width
15 ft (if average is 18 ft)
Coverage
No citywide cap
Front
10 ft typical
Side
0 ft (party wall) / 3 ft (end unit)
Rear
2–5 ft (rear-loaded garage common)

What this means in practice

A standard Houston townhouse lot: 20 × 80 ft (1,600 SF). Three stories over a rear-loaded garage = ~2,400 SF livable. At $250/SF construction and $80/SF land, you're all-in around $525K on a product that sells for $550K–$700K in Montrose/Heights/EaDo. The margins are tight — site acquisition cost is everything. Look for older single-family lots you can replat into 3–4 townhouse pads.

Multifamily Residential — Chapter 42

2 districts in Houston

MF-SM

Small-Scale Multifamily (3–8 Units)

The 2023 Livable Places amendments reduced barriers for 3–8 unit buildings — garage apartments, fourplexes, courtyard buildings. These were cost-prohibitive under the old code. Now the most interesting small-scale play in Houston.

What you can build

  • ✓Triplex, fourplex, sixplex, eightplex
  • ✓Garage apartments / ADUs
  • ✓Courtyard-style apartment buildings
  • ✗More than 8 units (triggers large-scale multifamily requirements)
  • ✗Units in deed-restricted single-family subdivisions

Key numbers

Height
Per IBC construction type (Type V-B: 40 ft / 3 stories typical)
Lot min
No per-unit minimum (site plan review)
Width
Per plat
Coverage
No citywide cap
Front
25 ft (long blocks) / 10 ft (short blocks)
Side
5 ft minimum
Rear
Per plat

What this means in practice

The Livable Places play: buy a 7,500 SF lot outside deed restrictions, build a 4-unit courtyard building. At 60% coverage = 4,500 SF footprint × 2 stories = 9,000 SF gross — four 1,000 SF two-bedroom units plus common area. Parking at 1.33 spaces/unit = 6 spaces. At $2,000/month rent × 4 units = $96K gross annual. These pencil well if you avoid structured parking.

MF-LG

Large-Scale Multifamily (9+ Units)

Large apartment complexes. Chapter 42 Division 6 governs site plans — fire access, private streets, open space, and parking. No density cap, no height cap, no FAR. The constraint is parking and site plan geometry.

What you can build

  • ✓Garden-style apartments
  • ✓Mid-rise apartments (4–5 stories wood-frame)
  • ✓High-rise apartments (steel/concrete)
  • ✓Senior housing
  • ✗Nothing use-based — Houston doesn't restrict land use
  • ✗Projects that fail site plan review or buffering requirements

Key numbers

Height
No city limit (IBC construction type governs)
Lot min
No minimum (site plan driven)
Width
No minimum
Coverage
No citywide cap
Front
25 ft (long blocks) / 10 ft (short blocks)
Side
Per site plan (buffering ordinance may add 15–40 ft near SF)
Rear
Per site plan

What this means in practice

Houston's apartment math is straightforward because there's no density cap. A 2-acre site can support 200+ units in a 4-story wrap if you solve parking. Standard parking: 1.33 spaces per 1-BR, 1.67 per 2-BR. A 200-unit project needs ~300 spaces — that's a 4-level parking structure or 2.5 acres of surface. Inside the Loop, structured parking adds $25K–$35K/space. The 2023 buffering ordinance matters: if you're adjacent to single-family, plan for 30–40 ft of buffer on that side.

Commercial — No Zoning

1 district in Houston

COM

Commercial (Unrestricted Use)

On land without deed restrictions — which includes most commercial corridors, arterials, and freeway frontage — there are no use restrictions at all. Build an office tower next to a restaurant next to a warehouse. Parking requirements and building lines are the only city-imposed constraints.

What you can build

  • ✓Office
  • ✓Retail and restaurant
  • ✓Hotel
  • ✓Mixed-use (residential + commercial)
  • ✓Industrial / warehouse
  • ✓Literally anything that meets building code
  • ✗Projects that don't meet parking requirements
  • ✗Projects that violate deed restrictions (if they exist)

Key numbers

Height
No city limit
Lot min
No minimum
Width
No minimum
Coverage
No city limit
Front
25 ft (long blocks) / 10 ft (short blocks)
Side
Per site plan
Rear
Per site plan

What this means in practice

This is Houston's superpower and its chaos. A 1-acre commercial site on Westheimer or Richmond has no use restriction, no height cap, and no FAR. Your constraints are parking (office: 2.5/1,000 SF; retail: 1/200 SF; apartment: 1.25–1.67/unit), fire code, and whatever deed restrictions exist. Run a title search for deed restrictions before underwriting — they're the hidden constraint that kills deals.

State Preemption — Texas SB 840

1 district in Houston

SB840

SB 840 By-Right Multifamily (Commercial Zones)

Texas SB 840 (effective September 1, 2025) preempts municipal restrictions on multifamily and mixed-use development in areas designated for commercial, office, retail, warehouse, or mixed-use. In Houston this mostly reinforces existing flexibility, but it locks in specific minimums and eliminates any future attempts to restrict density.

What you can build

  • ✓Multifamily residential (by right)
  • ✓Mixed-use with 65%+ residential
  • ✓Commercial-to-residential conversions (buildings 5+ years old)
  • ✓Administrative approval — no variance or rezoning needed
  • ✗Projects below 65% residential in mixed-use
  • ✗SB 840 doesn't apply to single-family residential areas

Key numbers

Height
45 ft minimum (or city max, whichever is greater)
Lot min
No minimum
Width
No minimum
Coverage
No FAR imposed
Front
25 ft maximum (or city standard, whichever is less)
Side
Per existing code
Rear
Per existing code

What this means in practice

For Houston specifically, SB 840 changes less than it does for Dallas or Austin — Houston already lacks zoning. But the conversion provision matters: commercial buildings 5+ years old can convert to residential with no traffic study, no impact fees, no extra parking beyond 1 space/unit. If you're looking at underperforming office or retail, this is the play. The 36 units/acre floor and 1 space/unit parking cap are state-mandated minimums no city can override.

Deed Restrictions — Private Covenants

2 districts in Houston

DR-SF

Deed-Restricted Single-Family

Deed restrictions are private covenants recorded against subdivisions — but Houston is unique in that the city enforces them. They typically restrict lots to single-family residential use, set minimum lot sizes, and prohibit commercial activity. Durations are usually 25–30 years, some perpetual.

What you can build

  • ✓Single-family home (per restriction terms)
  • ✓ADU (if restrictions allow)
  • ✓Home occupation (if restrictions allow)
  • ✗Commercial or multifamily (in most restricted subdivisions)
  • ✗Lot splits below the restriction minimum
  • ✗Anything the recorded covenant prohibits

Key numbers

Height
Per deed restrictions (often 2–2.5 stories)
Lot min
Per deed restrictions (commonly 5,000–10,000 SF)
Width
Per deed restrictions (commonly 50–80 ft)
Coverage
Per deed restrictions (if specified)
Front
Per deed restrictions + Chapter 42 building line
Side
Per deed restrictions + 5 ft Chapter 42 minimum
Rear
Per deed restrictions

What this means in practice

Always pull deed restrictions before underwriting any Houston site. The city's Legal Department enforces violations — this isn't voluntary. Key questions: When do they expire? Have they been renewed? What uses are prohibited? What's the minimum lot size? Expired deed restrictions are a development opportunity — a deed-restricted SF neighborhood where restrictions lapse can be replatted for townhouses overnight. Track expiration dates in target neighborhoods.

DR-NONE

No Deed Restrictions (Unrestricted)

Land with no deed restrictions and no zoning. Chapter 42 building lines and Chapter 26 parking are your only constraints. Common along commercial corridors, older industrial areas, and neighborhoods where restrictions expired.

What you can build

  • ✓Anything that meets building code and parking requirements
  • ✓Single-family, multifamily, commercial, industrial, mixed-use
  • ✓No use variance or rezoning ever needed
  • ✗Projects that fail parking or site plan requirements

Key numbers

Height
No city limit
Lot min
3,500 SF (or 1,400 SF avg with performance standards)
Width
Per plat
Coverage
No city limit
Front
25 ft (long blocks) / 10 ft (short blocks)
Side
5 ft SF / per site plan commercial
Rear
Per plat

What this means in practice

Unrestricted land in Houston is the most development-flexible real estate in any major U.S. city. No use hearings, no variances, no council approvals. Your feasibility is purely economic: does the project pencil with the parking you need to provide? Inside the Loop, unrestricted lots command a premium because developers can build the highest-value product for the market. Title search is essential — 'no restrictions found' needs to be confirmed by a title company, not assumed.

Special Designations — Walkable Places

1 district in Houston

WP

Walkable Places Designation

The 2020 Walkable Places ordinance lets property owners on a block petition for walkable street designation. Once approved: parking requirements drop dramatically, sidewalks widen to 10 ft with 4-ft buffers, and ground-floor commercial gets transparency requirements. Piloted in Third Ward, Midtown, and Near Northside.

What you can build

  • ✓Mixed-use with reduced or zero parking
  • ✓Ground-floor retail with upper-floor residential
  • ✓Pedestrian-oriented commercial
  • ✗Auto-oriented uses (drive-throughs, car lots) conflict with the designation
  • ✗Projects without ground-floor transparency on designated streets

Key numbers

Height
No city limit
Lot min
Per Chapter 42
Width
Per Chapter 42
Coverage
No city limit
Front
Build-to-sidewalk encouraged
Side
Per Chapter 42
Rear
Per Chapter 42

What this means in practice

The parking reduction is the headline — up to 100% elimination on primary TOD streets, 50% on secondary TOD streets (1/4 to 1/2 mile from a transit station). On a 1-acre mixed-use site, eliminating 100 parking spaces saves 30,000 SF of structured parking at $30K/space = $3M in construction cost. The catch: you need 50%+ of adjacent property owners to opt in. This works best on blocks where one owner controls multiple parcels.

Special Designations — Transit-Oriented

1 district in Houston

TOD

Transit-Oriented Development

Properties within 1/2 mile of METRORail stations qualify for transit-oriented development incentives — primarily parking reductions. Combined with Houston's lack of density caps, TOD sites near Purple, Red, and Green line stations are prime for high-density residential.

What you can build

  • ✓High-density residential with reduced parking
  • ✓Mixed-use with transit access
  • ✓Any use — no zoning restrictions apply
  • ✗Nothing use-based

Key numbers

Height
No city limit
Lot min
Per Chapter 42
Width
Per Chapter 42
Coverage
No city limit
Front
Per Chapter 42
Side
Per Chapter 42
Rear
Per Chapter 42

What this means in practice

The 50% parking reduction within 1/2 mile of METRORail is significant. A 200-unit apartment project at 1.5 spaces/unit = 300 spaces standard. At 50% reduction = 150 spaces. At $30K/space structured, that's $4.5M in savings. The Red Line (Main Street corridor), Green Line (East End/Magnolia), and Purple Line (Third Ward/Wheeler) stations are the targets. Check if the site also qualifies for a TIRZ — stacking TOD parking reduction with TIRZ infrastructure reimbursement is the optimal play.

Residential Buffering — Chapter 42

2 districts in Houston

BUF-HR

High-Rise Adjacent to Residential

The 2023 Residential Buffering Ordinance requires a 30–40 ft buffer between high-rise structures (over 75 ft) and adjacent single-family or small-scale multifamily. Includes 8-ft screening fence, landscaping, and light-trespass controls.

What you can build

  • ✓High-rise residential or commercial
  • ✓Must include buffer zone on sides adjacent to SF
  • ✗High-rise without buffer when adjacent to single-family
  • ✗Parking garages with unscreened lighting facing residential

Key numbers

Height
No city limit (>75 ft triggers buffering)
Lot min
No minimum
Width
No minimum
Coverage
Buffer zone reduces buildable area
Front
Per Chapter 42
Side
30–40 ft buffer when adjacent to SF residential
Rear
30–40 ft buffer when adjacent to SF residential

What this means in practice

A 40-ft buffer on one side of a 200-ft-deep lot consumes 20% of your site. On a 1-acre parcel that's ~8,700 SF of dead space. Factor this into site selection — corner lots and lots adjacent to commercial rather than residential avoid the buffer entirely. The screening and lighting requirements add $15–25/LF of buffer frontage. If you're building a high-rise adjacent to SF, design the buffer as an amenity (dog park, pocket garden) rather than dead landscaping.

BUF-MR

Mid-Rise Adjacent to Residential

Mid-rise structures (65–75 ft, roughly 5–6 stories) require a 15-ft buffer when adjacent to single-family or small-scale multifamily on local (non-arterial) streets.

What you can build

  • ✓Mid-rise residential or commercial
  • ✓Must include 15-ft buffer on sides adjacent to SF on local streets
  • ✗Mid-rise without buffer on local streets adjacent to single-family

Key numbers

Height
65–75 ft (triggers mid-rise buffering)
Lot min
No minimum
Width
No minimum
Coverage
Buffer reduces buildable area
Front
Per Chapter 42
Side
15 ft buffer when adjacent to SF on local streets
Rear
15 ft buffer when adjacent to SF on local streets

What this means in practice

15 ft is manageable — it's basically a wide side yard with a fence and shrubs. The key distinction: mid-rise buffering only applies on local streets, not arterials. A 5-story apartment on Westheimer (arterial) adjacent to SF doesn't trigger mid-rise buffering. The same building on a side street does. Site selection on arterials vs. local streets is a real cost difference at this scale.

Historic Preservation — Chapter 33

1 district in Houston

HIST

Historic District (Houston Heights, Woodland Heights, etc.)

Houston has 23 historic districts and 308+ landmarks. Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) required for exterior alterations, new construction, and demolition. The Houston Heights districts (East, West, South) are the most active — each has specific design guidelines governing materials, massing, and setbacks.

What you can build

  • ✓New construction compatible with district character
  • ✓Renovations with COA approval
  • ✓Interior modifications (no COA needed)
  • ✗Demolition without HAHC review
  • ✗Exterior changes visible from ROW without COA
  • ✗Modern designs incompatible with district guidelines

Key numbers

Height
Per district guidelines (Heights: 2 stories typical)
Lot min
Per district MLS ordinance (Heights: 5,000 SF typical)
Width
Per district (Heights: 50 ft typical)
Coverage
Per district guidelines
Front
Per MBL ordinance (Heights: 15–25 ft typical, based on 70% of existing structures)
Side
Per district guidelines
Rear
Per district guidelines

What this means in practice

Historic districts are the closest thing to zoning you'll find in Houston. The Heights MBL/MLS ordinance locks in lot sizes and setbacks based on existing neighborhood character — 70% of existing structures set the standard (60% in historic districts). COA review adds 1–2 months. The opportunity: Heights lots with intact 1920s bungalows trade at a premium, but the restrictions also protect your investment from incompatible adjacent development. For new construction, engage the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission early — informal pre-review saves formal hearing surprises.

Special Financing — TIRZ

1 district in Houston

TIRZ

Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone

Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones capture property tax growth to fund infrastructure within the zone — streets, utilities, parks, transit. Houston has 28 TIRZs with $750M earmarked for 2024–2028. TIRZs don't restrict use — they provide infrastructure that makes development feasible.

What you can build

  • ✓Anything — TIRZ is a funding mechanism, not a use restriction
  • ✓Projects may qualify for TIRZ-funded infrastructure improvements
  • ✗Nothing additional — standard Chapter 42 rules apply

Key numbers

Height
Per underlying regulations
Lot min
Per Chapter 42
Width
Per Chapter 42
Coverage
Per underlying regulations
Front
Per Chapter 42
Side
Per Chapter 42
Rear
Per Chapter 42

What this means in practice

TIRZs matter for your pro forma, not your site plan. Key TIRZs for developers: Midtown (TIRZ 2), Uptown (TIRZ 16), East Downtown/EaDo (TIRZ 15), Memorial Heights (TIRZ 5), and Fifth Ward (TIRZ 18). The TIRZ board can fund street improvements, utilities, and parks adjacent to your project — reducing your infrastructure cost. Engage the TIRZ board early if your project requires public infrastructure upgrades. After the 2024 Midtown TIRZ audit scandal, expect more scrutiny on reimbursement agreements.

Industrial — No Zoning

1 district in Houston

IND

Industrial / Warehouse

Houston has no industrial zoning designation. Industrial uses are permitted anywhere deed restrictions don't prohibit them — which means most of the Ship Channel, East End, Northwest Houston, and areas along freight rail corridors. The constraint is environmental permitting, not land use.

What you can build

  • ✓Manufacturing and processing
  • ✓Warehousing and distribution
  • ✓Chemical and petrochemical facilities (with environmental permits)
  • ✓Flex industrial / R&D
  • ✓Outdoor storage
  • ✗Industrial in deed-restricted residential subdivisions
  • ✗Facilities without required environmental permits (TCEQ, EPA)

Key numbers

Height
No city limit
Lot min
No minimum
Width
No minimum
Coverage
No city limit
Front
25 ft (long blocks) / 10 ft (short blocks)
Side
Per site plan
Rear
Per site plan

What this means in practice

Industrial site selection in Houston is driven by freight access (rail, port, freeway), environmental permitting, and proximity to the labor force — not zoning. The Ship Channel / Pasadena / Baytown corridor is the petrochemical hub. Northwest Houston along US-290 and the Grand Parkway is the distribution hub. If you're converting industrial to residential (increasingly common inside the Loop), SB 840 now makes this administrative. Phase I/II environmental assessment is mandatory — Houston's industrial history means brownfield risk is real.

Development Bonus Program

Houston doesn't have a formal density bonus program — because there's no density cap to bonus above. Instead, development incentives come through TIRZ infrastructure funding, Walkable Places parking reductions, and the Livable Places amendments that reduced barriers for small-scale multifamily. Texas SB 840 functions as a state-level bonus by guaranteeing minimum density (36 units/acre) and maximum parking (1 space/unit) in commercial areas. The practical incentive stack: build in a TIRZ (infrastructure reimbursement) + near METRORail (50% parking reduction) + on a Walkable Places street (up to 100% parking reduction) and your development costs drop significantly with no density ceiling.

Overlay Districts

Houston Heights Historic Districts (East, West, South)

Three overlapping districts covering the original Heights neighborhood. COA required for exterior work visible from public ROW. Specific design guidelines govern materials (wood siding, composition shingle), massing (2-story max typical), and setbacks (based on 60% existing). Demolition requires HAHC hearing. Plan for 1–2 months of review. New construction must be compatible but doesn't need to be replica historic.

Woodland Heights Historic District

Adjacent to Houston Heights. COA required for exterior changes. Craftsman bungalow character. Less prescriptive guidelines than Heights but same review process.

Freedmen's Town Historic District

Fourth Ward. One of the oldest African American neighborhoods in Texas. Landmark-designated brick streets. COA required. Extremely sensitive — demolition and incompatible new construction face strong community and HAHC opposition.

Residential Buffering Overlay (Citywide)

Effective February 2023. High-rise (75+ ft) requires 30–40 ft buffer from SF/small multifamily. Mid-rise (65–75 ft) requires 15 ft buffer on local streets only. Includes 8-ft screening fence, landscape buffer, garage lighting controls, and dumpster screening. This is Houston's most significant development constraint for mid-rise and high-rise projects adjacent to neighborhoods.

Minimum Lot Size / Minimum Building Line Designations

Neighborhoods can petition City Council for 40-year MLS/MBL designations that lock in minimum lot sizes and front setbacks based on existing character (70% threshold, 60% in historic districts). These are Houston's closest equivalent to residential zoning — they prevent lot splits and teardown-rebuilds that deviate from neighborhood scale. Check whether your target neighborhood has an active MLS/MBL before planning a replat.

FEMA Floodplain (Citywide)

Houston's single most important development constraint. After Harvey (2017), updated FEMA FIRMs and city regulations require 2 ft of freeboard above base flood elevation. Floodway vs. flood fringe determines feasibility — floodway is essentially unbuildable. Check FEMA zone designation and Harvey inundation maps before making any offer. Flood insurance costs can kill a residential pro forma.

Coastal Zone Management (East Houston / Ship Channel)

Properties in the coastal zone require additional environmental review for development that affects wetlands, water quality, or coastal resources. Primarily affects industrial development along the Ship Channel and Galveston Bay shoreline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Houston really have no zoning?

Correct. Houston has never adopted a zoning ordinance — voters rejected it in 1948, 1962, and 1993. The city regulates form (lot size, setbacks, parking, buffering) but not use. Deed restrictions — private covenants enforced by the city — are the primary use control in residential neighborhoods. Commercial and industrial land with no deed restrictions has essentially no use restrictions at all.

How do I find out what I can build on a specific parcel?

Three things to check: (1) Pull deed restrictions from the county clerk's records or get a title report — these control use. (2) Check Chapter 42 for lot size minimums, building lines, and whether an MLS/MBL designation applies. (3) Check FEMA flood zone. If there are no deed restrictions and the lot isn't in a floodway, you can build almost anything that meets parking and building code.

What's the building line (front setback) for my property?

Chapter 42 default: 25 ft from the front property line on blocks longer than 600 ft, 10 ft on shorter blocks. If your neighborhood has a Minimum Building Line (MBL) designation, the setback is whatever 70% of existing structures meet (60% in historic districts). Deed restrictions may impose a greater setback — the stricter standard controls.

Can I build townhouses on a single-family lot?

If deed restrictions allow it (or have expired): yes. Replat the lot into smaller pads — Chapter 42 allows lots down to 1,400 SF average across the block face, as narrow as 15 ft. The replat process takes 60–90 days through the Planning Department. Inside the Loop, this is the most common development pattern — buy a 5,000 SF lot, replat into 2–3 townhouse pads.

What did Texas SB 840 change for Houston?

Less than it changed for Dallas or Austin, since Houston already lacks zoning. The key impacts: (1) commercial-to-residential conversions of buildings 5+ years old are now administrative with no traffic studies or impact fees, (2) the state guarantees a 36 units/acre density floor and 1 space/unit parking cap in commercial areas, and (3) cities cannot impose FAR limits on qualifying multifamily projects. The conversion provision is the biggest deal for Houston — office and retail vacancies are high.

How do deed restrictions expire?

Most deed restrictions have 25–30 year terms with renewal provisions. If property owners don't affirmatively renew before expiration, the restrictions lapse and can't be re-imposed. The city's Legal Department tracks enforceability. Expiring deed restrictions are a development catalyst — a deed-restricted SF neighborhood that lapses can immediately be developed for townhouses or multifamily. Track expiration dates in target areas.

What's the parking requirement for apartments?

Chapter 26 standard: 1.25 spaces per efficiency, 1.333 per one-bedroom, 1.666 per two-bedroom+. Near METRORail stations (1/2 mile): 50% reduction. On Walkable Places designated streets: up to 100% reduction. Under SB 840 (commercial areas): max 1 space per unit. Structured parking runs $25K–$35K/space inside the Loop — parking reductions directly improve feasibility.

Is my property in a floodplain?

Check the FEMA FIRM maps and the Harris County Flood Control District's map tool. Post-Harvey regulations require 2 ft of freeboard above base flood elevation. Floodway designation means the property is essentially undevelopable. Flood fringe (Zone AE) is buildable but expensive — elevated construction, flood insurance, and lender requirements add significant cost. This is Houston's most common deal-killer.

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