| Description |
The article discusses the difference between reasonable legislation and legislation that becomes a barrier to affordable housing. According to the article, well-intended legislation at the state-level may cause unintended consequences, while local level barriers are often put in place to prohibit housing development. The latter is often the result of a "Not in My Backyard" (NIMBY) attitude.
Common regulations that serve to limit the development of housing include minimum lot size requirements, high impact fees, and lengthy approval processes, all of which increase the development costs and price of housing. Also restricted are multifamily housing, manufactured housing, and accessory dwellings, which are good sources of affordable housing. According to the article, exclusionary zoning and discrimination are other barriers to affordable housing that are hard to deflect as they often come from NIMBY activists who claim they are working toward growth management.
To fight regulatory barriers to affordable housing, New Jersey and Vermont have combined regulatory reform with economic development, environmental protection, and historic preservation in key areas. The article also discusses the efforts of King County, Washington and Austin, Texas. King County removed regulatory barriers and encouraged affordable housing development in urban areas; Austin, Texas made regulatory reform an integral part of its growth-management strategy. The article discusses how Austin’s outward enthusiasm for smart growth has helped overpower NIMBY dissent. |
Back to Top 
