Zoning Reform

Boise Launches Accessory Dwelling Unit and ‘Moveable Tiny Home’ Pilots
The city moved to loosen restrictions on accessory dwelling units and other forms of innovative housing solutions.

Maine Passes Zoning Reform Laws
The state legislature passed two bills, one supporting accessory dwelling units and another incentivizing adaptive reuse, aimed at boosting housing affordability.

San Diego To Consider Upzoning in College Area
Local residents worry that city proposals to increase density will harm neighborhood character, while the city is touting ‘smart growth’ as the goal.

Maine Looks To Legalize ‘Missing Middle Housing’
Maine could become the third state to eliminate single-family-only zoning to encourage light density increases in residential areas and make it easier for homeowners to build accessory dwelling units.

New York’s New Head of City Planning Gives First Interview
Dan Garodnick, the new leader of the city’s planning department, outlines how the city plans to adjust zoning regulations to acknowledge changes in how and where people live and work.

Biden Wants to Incentivize Inclusionary Zoning
Traditionally the purview of local governments, single-family zoning has come under fire as ‘exclusionary.’ Now, the federal government wants to encourage cities to loosen restrictions.

Tacoma Density Plan Moves to Phase Two
The Home in Tacoma plan would amend the city's zoning code to include more 'missing middle' housing types and encourage infill development.

'Neighborhood Defenders' and the Suburban Status Quo
A tour de force of reporting documents the efforts of suburban Maryland residents to oppose new developments in their neighborhoods.

Opinion: Second Avenue Subway Should Come With Zoning Changes
Increasing density in the neighborhoods surrounding the new subway stops would bring more affordable, transit-adjacent housing to East Harlem and boost ridership.

Columbus Weighs Revisions to Outdated, Inequitable Zoning Code
The city is seeking ways to boost affordable housing development and encourage mixed-use, transit-oriented development.

More SB 9 Drama: L.A. County Cities Sue California
Four Southern California cities are calling SB9 unconstitutional in the fight to retain local control over zoning codes and housing density.

Gainesville Weighs Zoning Reform Proposal
The northern Florida city could follow others in removing barriers to building accessory dwelling units and multifamily buildings in neighborhoods currently zoned for single-family homes. Some local residents oppose the plan.

Auburn, Maine Approves New Residential and Commercial Densities Despite Public Outcry
Auburn, Maine offers the latest an example of a small city deciding to increase its capacity for future development in response to housing pressure, even in the face of intense public opposition.

Wisconsin Coalition Releases Housing Affordability Toolkit
The guide outlines zoning reforms that can encourage affordable housing construction and increase density and walkability.

Easing the Burden of High Gas and Housing Costs for Low-Income Households
Low-income families suffer most from dramatic spikes in housing and transportation costs, but governments can soften the impact through a series of actions.

Proposed 'Fair Share' Would Assess and Allocate Affordable Housing in Connecticut
The state of Connecticut is looking to take a more aggressive role in allocating affordable housing development requirements around the state.

'Homes for All of Us' Initiative Eases San Diego Building Restrictions
The ordinance, which allows lot splitting and eases permitting for accessory dwelling units, is an effort to boost housing affordability.

San Francisco Fourplex Proposal Could Skirt State Law
A proposal before the Board of Supervisors could undermine the state's density law by upzoning the city to allow duplexes, a step housing advocates call a disingenuous effort to prevent higher density.

Opinion: Spokane Needs 'Missing Middle Housing'
With demand for housing in Eastern Washington rising steeply, the region could benefit from zoning reform that encourages small and mid-sized multifamily developments.

Dallas Neighborhoods Fight Toxic Zoning
Communities in south and west Dallas are working to introduce zoning reform that would reduce industrial pollution and hold companies accountable for their impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.
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