Josh Barro examines the possible use of inclusionary zoning to generate affordable housing stock in the city of New York City finding that the only way to build more affordable units is by increasing density.
As part of an ambitious plan to build new housing, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is proposing that the city create more affordable housing units by making inclusionary zoning mandatory because the cost of affordable units under the current voluntary system makes them a hard sell, even with density bonuses as incentives. "Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to create more affordable units by making inclusionary zoning mandatory: In areas rezoned to allow more density, developers would have to set aside inclusionary units, whether they used the additional density permitted by the zoning or not. By imposing this mandate, the mayor hopes to get both bigger buildings and more affordable units within those buildings."
Acknowledging that mandatory inclusionary zoning has proven both unpopular and, possibly, less than effective, Barro considers an alternative measure: "Nathan Newman, the housing activist behind the group More NYC, offers another suggestion: straight up cash. In a recent report, he argued that the city should drop inclusionary zoning and instead offer developers additional density in exchange for cash payments that the city could use to finance affordable housing programs."
The problem with that plan is that pesky scarcity of available land, which also makes the cash for affordable housing deal less than ideal: "if new dollars to subsidize affordable housing end up chasing fixed quantities of land and apartments, that could just drive up rents for middle-income New Yorkers."
In summation, "the city should impose this costly mandate only if it also increases possible development and decreases the cost of building."
FULL STORY: Affordable Housing That’s Very Costly
Three Years of New York's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Program
One of the more aggressive inclusionary zoning programs in the country has been in place long enough to evaluate for lessons regarding the effectiveness of the controversial affordable housing development tool.
Checking in on New York City's Affordable Housing Efforts
First, a new report from NYU's Furman Center details the evolving characteristics of subsidized rental housing in New York City. Second, the results from Mayor Bill de Blasio's affordable housing efforts are in from his first year in office.
'Housing New York' Would Invest $41 Billion in Affordable Housing
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the details of the "Housing New York" plan this week. The plan will guide the de Blasio Administration toward its goal of creating 200,000 affordable housing units in the city.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.
Spring Spectacle: Thousands of Tulips Bloom at One of LA’s Top Gardens
Descanso Gardens, one of Los Angeles County’s most beloved botanical destinations, is welcoming spring with 35,000 tulips in bloom, creating a breathtaking seasonal display expected to peak in late March.
Ratepayers Could Be on the Hook for Data Centers’ Energy Use
Without regulatory changes, data centers’ high demand for energy would be subsidized by taxpayers, according to a new study.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research