AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s (TPPF) Center for Local Governance Senior Policy Analyst Jess Fields issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of Senate Bill 1679, which increases the accountability and transparency of the process by which building codes are adopted by municipalities.
“Building-code standards meant to promote ’sustainability’ and ‘efficiency,’ can drive up the cost of development and increase the cost of housing for Texas families,” said Fields. “The Senate’s passage of SB 1679 marks a huge improvement in the way that building codes are adopted, by requiring local governments to do a cost-benefit analysis before adopting these codes.
“This bill now heads to the House where, if passed, it will ensure that before a huge cost is imposed by new municipal codes that might negatively affect low-income residents and those who benefit most from affordable housing, the governing body does its due diligence to study the impacts and consequences of the new standards."
To schedule an interview with Mr. Fields, please contact Caroline Espinosa at [email protected] or 512-472-2700.
The Hon. Jess Fields is the Senior Policy Analyst in the Center for Local Governance at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and a former College Station City Councilman.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin, Texas.