‘Frat House Bill’ passes legislature. Will it affect Fort Worth and Arlington?
Texas Senate Bill 1567, the so-called “frat house bill” that removes occupancy limits on residential dwellings, passed in the Texas Senate and the House of Representatives and now awaits Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature before becoming law.
However, amendments to the bill now exempt larger cities like Fort Worth and Arlington.
First introduced in February, the bill was co-sponsored by Republican Paul Bettencourt of Houston and Democrat Sarah Eckhardt of Austin. Rep. Cody Vasut, a Republican from Angleton, filed a companion bill in the House and later added his name as a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1567.
Originally, the bill would have made it illegal for any home-rule municipality in Texas to restrict dwelling unit occupancy based on familial or relationship status. Now, the law would only apply to cities with populations of less than 250,000 that are home to an institute of higher learning with an enrollment of more than 20,000 students. Municipalities of less than 250,000 people that are adjacent to campuses meeting the above enrollment criteria would also be subject to the law.
Cities would still be able to limit occupancy based on health and safety standards, and cities may pass ordinances restricting residency to “one occupant per sleeping room with a minimum floor area of 70 square feet and one additional occupant for each additional 50 square feet of floor area in the same sleeping room.”
The law would also allow homeowners’ associations to institute occupancy restrictions.
After the bill was proposed, TCU area residents feared overcrowding in homes and apartments near campus. According to Fort Worth law, no more than three unrelated people can legally occupy a single dwelling unit in the TCU residential overlay district unless the dwelling is registered for “nonconforming use.”
The original version of Senate Bill 1567 would have likely stripped the city’s ability to enforce that law since it was enacted not for health and safety reasons but to combat excessive noise, alleviate traffic and parking congestion and preserve the character of single-family neighborhoods around TCU.
While Arlington residents weren’t as vocally opposed to the bill, it could have had repercussions in neighborhoods around the University of Texas at Arlington campus.
Tarrant County cities may not feel the impact, but others in the area could, including Denton (University of North Texas) and Richardson (University of Texas at Dallas). Tarleton State University in Stephenville had an enrollment of approximately 18,000 in 2024, putting it just under the threshold for now.
Bryan and College Station, home to Texas A&M University, are considered the bill’s “targets.” Senate Bill 1567 was introduced after students urged the state legislature to address a housing shortage near the school. Texas A&M is the largest university in Texas, with more than 72,000 students enrolled at its College Station campus.
If Abbott signs the bill, the law will go into effect on Sept. 1.
This story was originally published June 2, 2025 at 11:01 AM.