When was this published?

This article was first published on July 21, 2026 by Fox 26 Houston and curated for The Woodlands readers.

Who reported this story?

This story was reported by Catherine.Stoddard@fox.com (Catherine Stoddard) at Fox 26 Houston.

Where can I find related coverage?

See more local coverage from The Woodlands, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs.

Hundreds of thousands of empty for-sale lots could help fix America’s home shortage, Zillow says

Summary by The Woodlands Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Catherine.Stoddard@fox.com (Catherine Stoddard), Fox 26 Houston · July 21, 2026 · 1 min read

Zillow estimates the U.S. is short about 4.7 million homes, but building on every listed vacant lot could reduce that shortage by more than 6%.

Why this matters in The Woodlands

The Woodlands Township's Safe at Home Program addresses a critical need for local families, particularly as children in grades 4 through 6 begin to spend more time alone at home. Given the community's location in a hurricane and flooding prone area, it is crucial for young residents to know how to respond in emergency situations. The program's focus on building safety skills will help preteens make smart decisions and stay safe, whether they are dealing with everyday situations or more severe weather events that can impact The Woodlands. By offering this free educational course, the township is providing a valuable resource for families, especially those who may not have access to similar programs through their schools in the Conroe ISD and Tomball ISD districts. As the program moves forward, it will be worth watching how it is received by the community and whether it leads to any additional safety initiatives in The Woodlands.

About this story

Original reporting by Fox 26 Houston. The Woodlands surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit Fox 26 Houston. Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: local · Published: July 21, 2026 · Source: Fox 26 Houston · Reading time: 1 min

This preview is provided by The Woodlands News. Full article available at .

Summary created by	The Woodlands Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed
Original reporting	Catherine.Stoddard@fox.com (Catherine Stoddard), Fox 26 Houston
Original story	Read at the source
Source published	Jul 21, 2026
AI assistance	Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text
Prepublication human review	No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples

Hundreds of thousands of empty for-sale lots could help fix America’s home shortage, Zillow says

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