Houston, Texas, is the only major U.S. city with virtually no zoning laws. This means that single-family homes, apartment buildings, shopping centers, high-rise buildings, and industrial complexes can all be built in the same neighborhood. Of the major U.S. cities, Houston was also one of the least impacted by the housing market crisis of 2008. In 2009, Houston issued 42,697 building permits and was the top-ranked city in the list of healthiest housing markets. How might the lack of zoning laws have played a part in Houston’s healthy housing and building markets?