📰 What Happened: The Urban Land Institute argues that Houston, Dallas, and Austin need to rethink development strategies to cope with millions of new residents. Urban sprawl, which allowed these cities to grow outward, is straining local infrastructure, water supplies, and transportation systems.

🔍 A Closer Look: Cities like DFW need to create interconnected hubs rather than relying on the central business district alone. A shift to mixed-use developments and collaboration between developers and municipalities is needed to sustain this growth. “The availability of space does not mean cities can continue business as usual when it comes to planning,” an analyst explains.

🧠 Why It Matters: As these Texas cities prepare for explosive growth in the coming decades, their ability to adapt to more sustainable, dense urban living will determine whether they can continue to thrive or face challenges related to infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life.