News & Resources
Government Affairs Update
The BIA is tracking several bills this session and presented testimony as well. Fighting inclusionary zoning bills and promoting BIA's own blueprint for affordable housing remains a focus of this City Council session.
Bill No. 210474 was passed by City Council on September 30 and makes significant changes to the mixed-income housing bonus. The bill removes the height bonus in CMX-2.5 entirely; removes the fee-in-lieu option in RM-1, CMX-1, and CMX-2; increases the fee-in-lieu options 200 to 300%; and, eliminates the bonus for projects that include less than 10 units.
BIA testified in opposition to Bill No. 210633, which would create a “Mixed-Income Neighborhoods Overlay District” that requires affordable housing as part of large new development projects within designated areas of the 3rd and 7th Council Districts, including non-student housing of at least 10 dwelling units and more than 25% residential use. In addition, BIA officer Mo Rushdy spoke out against inclusionary zoning in an op-ed. See Inclusionary zoning won’t solve the lack of affordable housing.
The BIA also testified at a hearing on the Neighborhood Preservation Initiative (NPI) budget to recommend to City Council that NPI funds be used for affordable housing development as intended, including development by the private sector, and to highlight the detrimental consequences of proposed inclusionary zoning legislation.
BIA opposed Bill No. 210778, which is a rezoning that targets a single privately-owned parcel without the owner’s support and proposes a demolition moratorium on the site as well. We testified that the bill would set a dangerous precedent, making the building and permitting process event more unpredictable, and would have a chilling effect on real estate development overall.
We are watching closely Bill No. 210669, which would change the number and composition of the ZBA, and also Bill No. 210740 making changes to mechanical contractor licensure. In addition, we are monitoring bills and resolutions related to demolition notifications, water line public ownership, contractor insurance requirements, the Zoning Reform Commission, and L+I staffing caseloads.