City staff and planning commissioners are bracing for a new state law that allows for commercial buildings to be converted to multifamily, dramatically allowing for the construction of more housing units but eliminating local control.
Senate Bill 840, which is set to become law in September, requires cities like Dallas to allow multifamily and mixed-use residential development in zoning areas that currently allow office, commercial, retail, warehouse or mixed-use.
This means lots intended for commercial buildings can be converted into apartments without a zoning change request. Instead these conversion will be handled by city staff…