Tennessee Legislature Blocks Nashville's 2016 Inclusionary Zoning Policy

Republicans in the Tennessee State Legislature made sure Nashville will never know if its inclusionary zoning policy would have delivered affordable housing in the city.

1 minute read

April 2, 2018, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Nashville

ESB Professional / Shutterstock

"The Tennessee state Senate [earlier in March] voted to prevent cities from imposing housing price constraints on developers in exchange for granting additional development rights," reports Mike Reicher.

The vote by the State Senate was a response to the city of Nashville's inclusionary zoning policy, which the city adopted in 2016, after studying inclusionary zoning as an affordable housing tool since 2015. No developers had taken advantage of the program before the action of the State Senate.

"With a vote of 20 to 6, the Republican-led Senate effectively nullified Nashville’s attempt at so-called 'inclusionary zoning,'" according to Reicher. The Republican opposition to the policy focused on the extra costs the policy could incur for developers.

Monday, March 5, 2018 in Tennessean

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Front of White House with stormy sky above.

How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning

An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.

January 19, 2025 - Planetizen

Close-up of person on bike wearing backpack riding on city street.

Research Affirms Safety of ‘Idaho Stop’

Allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs does not negatively impact safety and can help people on bikes more effectively navigate roadways.

January 14, 2025 - Streetsblog California

Colorado flags draped between buildings in downtown Denver, Colorado.

Denver Pauses Multifamily Development in Westside Neighborhoods Amidst Gentrification Concerns

City officials say the pause on permits for redevelopment projects aims to stop the displacement of long-term residents.

January 9, 2025 - Governing

Professional cleaners wearing medical masks and gloves cleaning desks in large empty office.

The Ripple Effects of Remote Work

The number of Americans who work from home rose sharply during the pandemic and remains high, posing important questions about the future of transportation and housing.

45 minutes ago - Bloomberg CityLab

View of buildings in downtown Baltimore, Maryland.

Shuttered Baltimore Hotel Will Become Affordable Housing

The project will create 303 new workforce housing units in a former downtown hotel.

1 hour ago - Affordable Housing Finance

Looking up at a grove of mature hemlock trees on a sunny day.

Fighting Forest Pests With AI: A Hemlock Success Story

Fairfax County utilized GeoAI and ArcGIS technology to efficiently map and protect its hemlock trees from the invasive woolly adelgid, ensuring targeted pest management and preservation of its evergreen canopy.

2 hours ago - ARCNEWS