San Antonio’s Deconstruction Ordinance

With the approval of this ordinance, San Antonio became the largest city in the country to ensure that valuable materials are salvaged for reuse instead of crushed and landfilled. The ordinance went into effect on October 1, 2022.

All small-scale residential structures (single family, duplex, triplex, fourplex) and rear accessory structures (garages, carriage houses, accessory dwelling units) are subject to the deconstruction ordinance if:

• The structure was built on or before December 31, 1920, and is located anywhere within San Antonio city limits; or
• The structure was built on or before December 31, 1945, and is designated historic (is located within a historic district or is a local historic landmark) and/or is located within a Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD).

On January 1, 2025, the ordinance will automatically expand to include residential structures up to eight units. The year-built threshold will be raised from 1920 to 1945 anywhere within the City limits, and from 1945 to 1960 for properties designated historic or located within a Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD).