Exclusionary Zoning

Birthplace of Single-Family Zoning Poised to Pass Upzoning Plan
Berkeley, California, pioneered exclusionary zoning in the early 1900s; with its new upzoning proposal, the city hopes to reverse that negative legacy and boost its housing supply by eliminating single-family zoning.

Palm Beach County Accused of ‘Rural Gentrification’ in Lawsuit
A new zoning ordinance banning semi-trucks from a rural unincorporated area of Palm Beach County has prompted long-time semi-driver residents to sue for the right to continue to park their vehicles on their properties.

Friday Funny: Gated Community Doubles Down
The Onion skewers suburbia.

Proposal Would Link Highway Funding to Zoning
Experts argue that zoning, housing, and transportation policy are intimately linked.

Report: How Outdated Zoning Rules Still Shape Boston
Classist and racist zoning decisions from decades past reverberate in today’s neighborhoods.

Dallas to Address Inequity in New Land Use Plan
The ForwardDallas plan is part of the city’s effort to make address exclusionary zoning practices, increase affordable housing for all residents, and bring essential businesses and services to more areas.

Environmental Groups Win Court Battle Against the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan
A court ruling invalidated one of the most innovative comprehensive plans in recent memory, and now the city of Minneapolis must revert to its previous comprehensive plan.

Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan Update Attracts Opponents
An updated version of the Charlottesville comprehensive plan update is now available for public comment, and a recent article in the local paper lets plan opponents air their grievances.

Proposed Zoning Consolidation Scaled Back in Anchorage
A revised, scaled-back version of a zoning reform effort in Anchorage would concentrate the proposed consolidation of residential zoning districts in one part of the city.

The Social and Economic Impacts of Exclusionary Zoning
A new book further reveals the inequities perpetuated by restrictive zoning policies.

Anchorage Considering Consolidation of Residential Districts
If changes to Title 21 of the city’s municipal code are approved, Anchorage could go from having 15 types of residential zoning to one.

Majority of Americans Prefer Larger Homes and Longer Trips, Survey Says
The percentages have fluctuated on either side of the pandemic, but most Americans prefer to live in communities with larger houses, located farther away from schools, stores, and restaurants, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

Study Links Single-Family Zoning to Exclusion
An analysis of Connecticut zoning laws finds single-family neighborhoods are associated with higher incomes and whiter populations than the 2 percent of the state that permits multifamily housing.

Vermont Latest State to Preempt Single-Family Zoning
The approval of the HOME law, S.100, will allow for duplexes in all residential neighborhoods in Vermont. Large swaths of residential zones in the state must also now allow tri- and four-plexes.

Albuquerque Poised to Legalize Accessory Dwelling Units
Allowing ADU construction on parcels previously zoned exclusively for single-family detached housing is one component of the Housing Forward ABQ initiative, a larger effort to reform zoning practices in Albuquerque.

D.C. Preservation Board Includes Parking Lot in Historic Designation
The decision to protect a non-historic parking lot as part of designating an adjacent historic bank building is being derided by critics as another form of exclusionary zoning.

Arizona Zoning Reform Bills Would Protect Mobile Home Residents
Three proposed bills would increase flexibility in zoning and encourage affordable housing production, particularly near light rail.

Federal and State Dollars Could Be Used to Force Change in Exclusionary Towns
Strict zoning policies keep housing unaffordable. But there are strategies governments can implement to change exclusionary housing policies and promote the construction of more affordable housing.

Colorado Mountain Communities Line Up to Oppose Statewide Zoning Reforms
State preemption isn’t going over well with local government officials in the remote corners of Colorado.

Code Reforms to Ease the Housing Crisis
Ten recommendations for zoning code changes that could make housing more affordable.
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