Just remember, the corrupt in some of those in the cities and counties have also been lobbied and bribed by the contractors and developers for tighter and tighter more densely populated regions/zoning.
Big $$ when you can cram 300 homes into a piece of acreage, as opposed to say, 150 home$.
It’s about the money in the Houston area, too, when it comes to food control. Developers put in 36 inch drain pipes that eventually run into 12 inch pipes.
One thing I don’t understand is why insurance companies allow standard wood frame construction in these areas. I would think that it would be in the best interest of all involved (local government, builders, insurance companies, and home owners) if the insurance companies could call for stricter building codes calling for use of fire retardant treated lumber, fire retardant foam insulation, or even sprinkler systems.