The Case For Inclusionary Zoning

The growing need for housing that is affordable to low- and moderate-income families is an issue facing nearly every part of the United States. A new PolicyLink report draws on inclusionary zoning successes from around the country and makes recommendations for expanding the availability of affordable housing in Washington, DC that apply to other cities as well. "Expanding Housing Opportunity in Washington, DC: The Case for Inclusionary Zoning" uses data compiled from hundred of localities where inclusionary zoning has made a difference in providing affordable housing to low- and moderate- income families. The report shows how inclusionary zoning helps increase the development of affordable rental and ownership units; expand opportunity, by creating mixed income communities; contributes to deconcentration of poverty, by spreading affordable housing across jurisdictions or regions, rather than isolating it in the poorest neighborhoods; and makes recommendations to jurisdictions for crafting a comprehensive and successful inclusionary zoning program.