SB 785 Resource Center

Senate Bill 785 is a major update to how new HUD-code manufactured homes are treated under city zoning in Texas. This page is a quick reference for TMHA members and Texas license holders as cities prepare for implementation.

Effective date: September 1, 2026.

Quick Facts

Summary – What S.B. 785 Requires

  • Cities cannot require a specific use permit (SUP) (or similar special permit) for a new HUD-code manufactured home if they do not require one for other residential housing in that same zoning category.
  • This prevents cities from singling out manufactured homes for extra permits.
  • This addresses cities that did not ban manufactured homes outright, but where the only way to place a manufactured home was to apply for (and possibly be granted) a specific use permit—often difficult to obtain and temporary in nature.
  • Cities with zoning must allow new HUD-code manufactured homes by-right in at least one residential zoning classification (or equivalent district) and must show those areas on the zoning map.
  • The law preserves local authority to determine where and the size of the by-right permissible area for new manufactured homes, but cities cannot exclude manufactured housing entirely.

Limited Exceptions

  • Deed restrictions
  • Historical areas
  • Very small Texas cities that do not have any commercial zoning, only one or two residential zoned areas
    TMHA has identified 14 exempt very small cities.

FAQ – S.B. 785

S.B. 785 is a Texas law that modernizes how new HUD-code manufactured homes are zoned and where they are allowed in Texas cities.

S.B. 785 takes effect September 1, 2026.

S.B. 785 applies to new HUD-code manufactured homes, as defined under federal and state law (42 U.S.C. § 5402(6); Tex. Occ. Code § 1201.003).

Manufactured housing retailers; community owners and developers; installers; lenders; homebuyers; and cities regulating via zoning the placement of HUD-code homes.

No. Cities retain zoning and land-use authority, but S.B. 785 limits the ability to single out or unfairly ban HUD-code manufactured homes compared to other housing types.

No. S.B. 785 does not mandate placement in every zoning district, but mandates a city must allow them, by-right, in at least one zoning district.

No. HUD construction, safety, and installation standards remain unchanged. S.B. 785 focuses on local regulation and placement, not how homes are built.

Retailers may see access to more cities or more areas within cities; engagement from local zoning officials and politicians to craft new placement policy for manufactured homes; improved consumer confidence; enhanced public perception for modern, new manufactured homes.

Retailers should:

  • Review local zoning ordinances.
  • Engage local land use officials, staff, and elected officials.
  • Introduce new modern homes that would fit in specific proposed areas in a city.
  • Sign up for local alerts for changing ordinances and/or zoning for manufactured homes – Texas Press Association | Public Notices.

Possibly — but those standards must be reasonable, nondiscriminatory, and consistent with state and federal law, including other state preemption laws (TEX. GOV’T CODE § 3000.002; Tex. Att’y Gen. Op. No. KP-0370 (2021); City of Houston and City of Horseshoe Bay and any city without zoning can enforce private deed restrictions).

No. S.B. 785 does not mandate placement in all zoning districts. But they must allow them in at least one zoning district (which can be a dedicated single zone district only for manufactured homes).

S.B. 785 applies broadly. However, some MH communities could see their current nonconforming use zoning designation change to permitted by-right zoning to achieve compliance in a city without possibly expanding the existing manufactured housing footprint beyond what was in the city prior to S.B. 785.

Cities are encouraged to review existing ordinances prior to the effective date to identify potential conflicts and reduce implementation issues.

Cities should:

  • Review zoning and development ordinances.
  • Consult legal counsel.
  • Engage stakeholders early to ensure smooth implementation.

Have information to add? Send city examples, draft ordinances, or questions to TMHA and we’ll keep this resource center updated.