Some legislators see a law that provides a zoning exemption to affordable housing builders as a necessary way to alleviate the housing crisis, while others worry about the impact of fast-tracked development on land zoned for conservation.
Housing advocates are keeping a close eye on a battle brewing in the Hawaiian state legislature, where competing bills seek to both expand and limit the powers of a 2006 law that allows developers of affordable housing to largely bypass zoning and land use regulations. “Known as Section 201H-38 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the law allows developers of affordable housing to sidestep most state and local laws that control things like the size and type of project that can be built in a certain place.” Stewart Yerton describes the controversy in Honolulu Civil Beat.
Lawmakers who want to limit the law say it allows developers to build on undeveloped parcels that were previously zoned for conservation or displace existing residents without community input, threatening Hawaii’s undeveloped natural areas. Others say the law provides multiple opportunities for public input and can help mitigate the housing affordability crisis in a state where median home prices are over $1 million and renters spend over 40 percent of their income on housing.
One proposed law would require an environmental review for any new projects proposed on land zoned for preservation. Another would expand the power of Section 201H-38 by removing the requirement for approval from a county council.
FULL STORY: Hawaii’s Affordable Housing Law Sparks Battles At The Capitol
How Single-Family Zoning Became Unaffordable for Families
Zoning regulations designed to boost the housing supply for families have contributed to a housing crisis that makes housing costs a major burden for many American families.
Wisconsin Workers Struggle to Find Affordable Housing
The state is facing a workforce housing shortage and rising costs, but some cities and towns make it difficult to build new housing near jobs.
San Francisco Housing Construction Far Slower Than Other Tech Hubs
Experts blame high land and construction costs and restrictive regulations for San Francisco’s dismal rate of housing construction, which lags behind other fast-growing cities like Austin and Seattle.
The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.
‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts
Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.
Seattle Bus Lane Cameras Capture Over 100,000 Violations
An automated traffic enforcement pilot program caught drivers illegally using transit lanes more than 110,000 times in less than a year.
Immigration Grows, Population Drops in Many U.S. Counties
International immigration to the country’s most populous areas tripled even as major metropolitan areas continued to lose population.
$616 Million in Development Incentives Approved for District Detroit
The “Transformational Brownfield” incentives approved by the Detroit City Council for the $1.5 billion District Detroit still require approval by the state.
Affordable Housing Development Rejected for Lack of Third Staircase in Connecticut
The New Canaan Planning Commission rejected a development proposal, including 31 below-market-rate apartments, for lack of a third staircase, among other reasons, at a time when advocates are pushing to relax two-staircase requirements.
Houston-Galveston Area Council
City of Malibu
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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