It was the city's "first major regulatory response" to Hurricane Harvey.
Last week, in an "unusually tight" vote, the Houston City Council ruled that starting in September, "all new construction in the city’s floodplains will have to be built two feet above the projected water level in a 500-year storm." Under current rules, it's only one foot, and from only the 100-year level.
"The vote marks a shift away from Houston’s longtime aversion to constraining," writes Rebecca Elliot, who also reports that the vote was largely along party lines—as well as supported by the mayor.
Harris County started using the 500- year floodplain in January, but entire region's distaste for regulation has been a popular topic of conversation in the months since Hurricane Harvey, which according to some studies was more like a 1,000-year storm.
It might seem unwise, after Harvey, tokeep building in the floodplain at all, but the city's real estate market barely paused in the wake of the massive storm, and buyers of both new and old structures will still be protected by the National Flood Insurance Program.
FULL STORY: City Council adopts stricter development rules for Houston’s floodplains
800 New Homes Approved for Houston's Floodplain
The city of Houston approved a new development that doesn't meet new elevations standards approved by the city of Houston earlier this month.
Houston-Area Floodplain Regulations to Expand from 100-Year to 500-Year Levels
Harris County, home to Houston and the scene of widespread devastation during Hurricane Harvey and other weather events, will make large-scale changes to development regulations on floodplains for the first time in almost 20 years.
Connecting the Issues of Flooding and Affordable Housing in Texas
A study released this week by the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium ( the University of Houston, the Kinder Institute, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and more) raises concerns that new floodplain regulations could harm renters.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research