Strong Towns Houston, a local volunteer group affiliated with the national nonprofit Strong Towns, is calling for changes to the city's minimum parking requirements. The group says the rules can affect development, housing costs and the environment. It says it does not want to end parking altogether, but to let developers and business owners decide how many spaces they need.
Under Chapter 26 of Houston's Code of Ordinances, many new developments and some changes to existing properties must provide a minimum number of off-street parking spaces. The requirements vary by the type and size of a project. Houston has already removed minimums in certain areas, including downtown and parts of Midtown and East Downtown, and allows reductions for some developments near certain transit corridors.
Ruben Garza, a Local Conversation leader with Strong Towns Houston, said minimum requirements can force developers to spend money and land on parking before a project starts, and that those costs can reach residents and customers. Parking reform advocates said a single garage parking space can cost at least $20,000 to build. The group also cited an estimate that every additional $10,000 in construction costs can mean about $100 more in monthly rent. Garza said eliminating minimums would not eliminate parking itself.