Nashville Turns to Inclusionary Zoning for Affordable Housing Relief

Nashville often gets left out of the national conversation about housing affordability and displacement. The challenge, however, has led the city's planning department to launch an effort to develop an inclusionary zoning policy for the Music City.

1 minute read

February 27, 2015, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"The Metro Planning Commission this month approved a contract with consulting firm Community Solutions Group LLC to help the agency study and develop an inclusionary housing policy for Nashville," reports Joey Garrison.

"Such a plan in Metro probably would offer incentives to developers who reserve a certain percentage of new residential development for affordable or workforce housing. But Metro planners aren't ruling out the possibility of a more ambitious policy that would mandate affordable units."

The issue of affordable housing is attracting a lot of public attention in Nashville lately. Garrison mentions that the advocacy group A VOICE is working on a more ambitious affordable housing plan it hopes to present before turnover in the mayor's office and the City Council in September.

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