The bill would have eliminated some parking requirements, legalized more types of affordable housing, and promoted increased housing production.
A bill that aimed to boost housing production by loosening zoning regulations did not pass out of the Arizona Senate, reports Kevin Reagan for 12News, giving in to pressure from local leaders. “Many cities publicly opposed SB 1117 because they believed the legislation would have taken away their ability to make important zoning decisions.”
In an opinion piece in The Independent, the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Steve Kaiser, explained that the bill would only apply to cities of over 25,000 and would not “eliminate single-family zoning,” a commonly cited fear during zoning reform debates. Kaiser argues that the bill “would make it possible to accomplish the necessity laid out by the Arizona Department of Housing: We must build 270,000 new homes to repair the massive shortfall currently being experienced in our housing market.” According to Kaiser, it would bring down rent costs and put homeownership within reach for more Arizonans. The bill proposed eliminating off-street parking requirements, permitting small-lot homebuilding, and streamlining development by eliminating municipal design review panels, and legalizing accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
Reagan writes that “Kaiser, a Republican representing District 2, said Monday he'll continue working on finding solutions to fix the housing crisis.”
FULL STORY: Arizona Senate rejects 'affordable housing' bill
Pittsburgh Mayor Proposes Zoning Changes to Curb Housing Shortage
The mayor’s plan includes legalizing ADUs in single-family neighborhoods, eliminating parking requirements, and adding new affordability requirements to buildings with over 20 units.
Arizona Legalizes ADUs and Higher Downtown Density Statewide
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A Look at Milwaukee’s Proposed Zoning Reform
The proposed changes would permit more flexible housing development while limiting changes in historic neighborhoods and on smaller streets.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
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Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service