Farmers Branch garage conversion amnesty ends

Farmers Branch’s garage conversion amnesty program ended July 31 with hundreds of properties still on the city’s list of unauthorized conversions.

Owners of those properties could be denied other nonemergency building permits until the garage conversion is addressed.

At an Aug. 4 study session, three City Council members favored leaving the deadline in place rather than extending the program again, while Council member Lupe Gonzalez raised concerns about residents who may have difficulty accommodating city inspections because of their work schedules.

The city created the program in July 2024 to give homeowners a way to legalize garages that had been converted into living space without permits. Staff initially identified 1,393 single-family homes that potentially violated garage conversion rules but later reduced that number to 714 after reviewing records and following up on individual properties.

The council extended the program for another six months in January, setting July 31 as the new expiration date.

Community Services Director Derek Hall said a staff report based on data through July 29 showed 316 applications received and 242 approved permits. At that point, 472 properties remained listed as noncompliant, for a compliance rate of 33.89%.

Hall told the council that two additional permits had been approved since the agenda materials were published, bringing the total number of approved properties to 244.

Applications submitted by the July 31 deadline remained in various stages of review. Hall said some were awaiting inspections or additional information from property owners.

The expiration does not mean the city plans to immediately cite every remaining property.

Hall said properties with unresolved conversions will be flagged. If an owner later applies for another nonemergency building permit, the permit cannot be issued until the property is brought into compliance.

Owners who want to retain converted living space can still apply for a permit for the conversion and undergo an inspection. Depending on the property, resolving the violation could involve obtaining approval for the converted space or restoring the space to a garage.

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Roger Neal, who requested the study session update, said the city had provided residents significant time and conducted extensive outreach.

During the six-month extension, code enforcement employees delivered more than 400 flyers to residences, staff made more than 250 phone calls to residents and the communications department used social media to publicize the July 31 deadline.

With roughly one-third of the identified properties in compliance, Neal said he believed the city had done what it could to encourage participation.

“I don’t know what else we can do to raise that compliance level,” Neal said.

He supported allowing the program to end and having the city proceed under its existing ordinance.

Gonzalez questioned ending the program, saying residents with long or inflexible work schedules may have difficulty being available for inspections.

“Not everybody can ask for a day off or a half day,” Gonzalez said.

She said she supported the goal of ensuring converted spaces are safe but questioned whether the process is practical for every household.

Mayor Pro Tem David Reid said safety remained a central reason for addressing unauthorized conversions, both for current residents and for people who later buy homes with improperly converted garages.

Reid acknowledged the scheduling concerns and suggested the city could consider options such as Saturday inspections. But after the time and staff resources devoted to the program, he said the amnesty should end.

“I think it’s time to terminate the program,” Reid said.

Council member Elizabeth Villafranca agreed with Reid that the program should end. She also asked how the city would handle new homeowners who may have purchased properties without knowing an unauthorized garage conversion existed.

Hall said staff would continue working with those property owners, including providing information, timelines and guidance on what would be required to bring a property into compliance.

The Aug. 4 discussion was a study session update and did not include a formal vote. 

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