As Texas’ major urban areas grapple with a glut of vacant offices, state lawmakers may make it easier to transform empty office and commercial space into dwellings.
A bill by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Mineola Republican, would effectively allow owners of struggling office properties in the state’s largest cities to convert that space into residences. The bill would forbid cities and counties from requiring owners of flagging office buildings and commercial properties like shopping malls and strip centers to go through a rezoning process if they want to add apartments or condominiums.
The idea is among a slate of propos