Houston - Non-Zoning Tradition
is Being Watched by Many Cities
If you were to research urban-planning and the affects of zoning, you will find that Houston's Unrestricted Property is an example of economic and land use freedom that almost no other city experiences. Feagin [1988] calls the political and economic structure a "free enterprise city".
In Buitelaar's book, The Cost of Land Use Decisions, he states that "Exercising private property rights without much public regulation has always been a key feature of urban development in Houston." He sites three failed referenda (in 1948, 1962 and 1993) that attempted to introduce zoning.
As stated in his book, middle-income homeowners migrate toward zoning (or deed restricted property) because they believe that it will prevent undesirable externalities and preserve property values. This is why such Master-Planned Communities as The Woodlands has experienced such growth and popularity.
Advocates of the free use of property claim that it promotes creativity and distributes physical space efficiently. Leaving "un-claimed" land parcels unrestricted allows for individuals to follow their own individual dream for the property. It may look like chaos. But it is a fine expression of liberty and results in economic opportunity that is rare in other parts of the country.
As the nation begins to pull itself out of economic recession people are asking whether the lack of zoning played a part in our relatively light consequences (when compared to many other cities). Indeed, the cities with the most regulated land use restrictions seem to be the ones that have had the largest downturn. When there is huge amounts of "red tape" required for a developer to get a project off the ground, it naturally inhibits the natural growth of the city. Add the fact that zoning gives the powerful interests of a city an additional tool to enforce their power - the result can stunt growth, push up prices and harm the citizens they were charged to serve.
Houston is still an experiment in land use. Personally, I think the economic freedoms found in this area attract prosperity. Variety is created when people have the right to chose a deed-restricted structure or a more free spirited way of life.
As the nation begins to pull itself out of economic recession people are asking whether the lack of zoning played a part in our relatively light consequences (when compared to many other cities). Indeed, the cities with the most regulated land use restrictions seem to be the ones that have had the largest downturn. When there is huge amounts of "red tape" required for a developer to get a project off the ground, it naturally inhibits the natural growth of the city. Add the fact that zoning gives the powerful interests of a city an additional tool to enforce their power - the result can stunt growth, push up prices and harm the citizens they were charged to serve.
Houston is still an experiment in land use. Personally, I think the economic freedoms found in this area attract prosperity. Variety is created when people have the right to chose a deed-restricted structure or a more free spirited way of life.
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