Chris Whit Ewen

Community builder, father, entrepreneur

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

“…at the end of the day, this isn’t just about housing it’s about community. It’s about ensuring our kids can grow up and stay here that our teachers and nurses aren’t forced to move away.” Contact your TX reps to vote yes. #txlege #HousingForAll https://t.co/WF9uRhmM4h

[Senator Bryan Hughes @SenBryanHughes]

Nine months after our bill, SB 840, took effect, more than 8,400 new housing units have come online in Texas. That's exactly what we intended: make it easier to build, increase supply, and expand opportunities for Texans to achieve homeownership.

On Monday, the House Land & Resource Management Committee heard testimony on the effectiveness of SB 840 while also examining how some local governments are circumventing the law and imposing barriers that drive up cost and get in the way of the bill’s effect. We cannot allow government regulations to drive up the cost of homes.

Next session, we'll strengthen SB 840 and advance more common-sense, free-market reforms that cut red tape, increase housing supply, and bring the American Dream of homeownership within reach for more Texans.

https://t.co/dx7MC6dQtr

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@SamFletch214 @WalkerATX @fox7austin I was there and I can see both sides. Some things better (eg food scene, innovation hub development) but some losses (as you wrote) also

[Nicole Nosek @NicoleNosek417]

A SLAP 👋 in the face by North Texas cities like Grand Prairie & Frisco to EVERY YOUNG Texas Family, Firefighter and Teacher and their hard work to AFFORD the #TexasMiracle through #SB840 (TX law allowing homes in commercial zones) #txlege

@@CityOfArlington, @cityofplanotx, @CityOfFriscoTx, @JeffCheney, @thecityofirving, @gp_tx, @MayorJensen2022

ICYMI, N Texas cities requiring:
🏊‍♂️ Olympic Size Pools
🐕 Dog Saunas
🧘‍♀️ Yoga Studios
+ more….

@AlexHrwtz @pewtrusts @keranews

[Sam Hooper @LegeLawyer]

If you’re a developer, architect, or property owner whose apartment project in Frisco, Irving, Plano, Arlington or Grand Prairie is being delayed, denied, or made impossible by local zoning tricks, @IJ may be able to help.

#txlege #SB840

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@pablo_builds This is fascinating. Could you take a deeper dive on one of your categories eg fire resistance? And have any states taken some reforms in this area?

[Jay Parsons @jayparsons]

I'm way late to this one, but have to point out:

In Texas, you see bumper stickers that say "Don't California My Texas," and yet that's exactly what some cities are doing through their creative efforts to skirt a new state law allowing multifamily on land zoned commercial.

From cities like Arlington and Irving adds ridiculous requirements for expensive amenities, that only makes projects less likely to work (and if they, drive up rents)...

And then Frisco takes the cake, acting like a smart alecky high school kid trying to skirt an assignment. They've exploited a loophole in the state law that says land zoned for "heavy industrial" (think oil refineries) is exempt, so they changed their zoning to allow heavy industrial on all land zoned commercial ... effectively neutering the state law, while retaining the right to veto any specific heavy industrial project (which they'd surely do).

These cities will claim they know what their cities need and that the state law is overreach, but these childish actions reflect they don't even realize they're "California-ing their Texas." They're more concerned about master plan aesthetics and dated stereotypes of multifamily than they are about ensuring their current and future residents/workers have an affordable place to live.

It may take decades to play out, but these types of decisions ultimately backfire in terms of reduced availability and worsened affordability. And just like Los Angeles and other CA cities, cities like Frisco will eventually see affordability worsen -- and they'll blame everyone but themselves for the problems they're creating.

[Nicole Nosek @NicoleNosek417]

UNIRONICALLY Texans ASKED for affordable homes for working families in the midst of an AFFORDABILITY crisis w #SB840, a law opening up commercial land in cities to homes

Cities like @thecityofirving RESPONDED with ILLEGAL MANDATES of👇

🐶a dog spa
🧘yoga room
🚴bike repair station

Out of touch much? #txlege

Source @TexasTribune @JoshuaFechter

[Texans for Reasonable Solutions @TXReasSolutions]

🚨BREAKING: “HOUSING AFFORDABILITY,” Grand Prairie-style (or Beverly Hills style?) proposal on Texas’s SB840:

Proposed Mandates below 👇 take 30 seconds to EMAIL lawmakers to SAVE the American Dream of homeownership in TX (LINK IN COMMENT)

🏊‍♂️ OLYMPIC LEVEL🏅 13,448 sq ft pool
🎨 ART mandate
🚫 No compact parking (indirectly prohibiting middle class cars like sedans!)
🏢 1,000 sq ft min 1BR (AS BIG AS A STUDIO)

Because NOTHING says “American Dream” like forcing every project to be a LUXURY @RitzCarlton style resort.

#SB840 #TxLege #YIMBY #GrandPrairie

@gp_tx @MayorJensen2022

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@four_mmmm @mnolangray Shhhh

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@YIMBYtown @NathanDugan I had to lead an unconference session, and would love to connect with anyone that’s willing to share !

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@Uber_Support I DMed you as requested, but you gave me a canned response and closed the case. You charged me for a trip my father never took. This is a fraudulent charge. I provided the trip ID and proof the trip wasn’t taken, yet you refuse to remove the charge.Unacceptable. @Uber_Support

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

Uber charged me for a "ghost ride." My father was never picked up, but the app shows a completed trip. GPS data and phone records prove he never left the origin. Not just a billing error; serious safety/trust issue. @Uber_Support I need a full investigation. #UberScam #GhostRide

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@NicoleNosek417 @AEI @TobiasPeterAEI Fantastic to see some validation and concurrence on the data front. More familiarity could have a accelerating effect on local policy more broadly than the existing law as well.

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@nanjpowell @berkie1 Yes, and on the other hand: How do you eat an elephant?

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@ieexplained @RitikaChopra__ Excellent article educating the public in the value of global cooperation in this case related to air safety and accident investigation in particular. Thank you

[Texans for Reasonable Solutions @TXReasSolutions]

🚨ALERT: BIG WIN🚨

SB15 Starter Homes in New Neighborhoods PASSES 78-57 out of the House, heading to @gregabbott_tx desk 🚗🚗

@pewtrusts shows this policy has REDUCED housing prices by almost 40%!

BIG thanks to @gatesfortexas, @DanPatrick , @TeamBettencourt and hardworking allies like @TPPF , @austinhabitatforhumanity, @TexasAFP , @TexasAppleseed , @txbiz , @dallashousingco and MANY more.

[Joshua Fechter @JoshuaFechter]

The past several days in the Texas Legislature have been busy on the housing affordability front.

An update about where the big housing bills stand:

https://t.co/XAUEcoVs5b @TexasTribune #txlege

[Jordan Cooley @jrcooley_]

Specifically, @egbd27 was a DREAM to work with -- true embodiment of TX2036 and I can't wait to work with her again

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@ChrisGTurner @Banaszrl Please share your gazpacho recipe !

[Chris Whit Ewen @chrisewen]

@TXPolResearch SB15 allows starter homes and townhomes, which are popular. When allowed, it’s often just one of the home types that communities build, along with single family, apartments, retail etc. Building smarter and smaller = more efficient with land and water.