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Role: Reduce Red Tape

In the housing development world, time is money. The longer it takes to gain all the necessary approvals to build a home and the more uncertainty involved in the approvals process, the higher the costs of newly built or renovated homes. While appropriate land use regulation is critical for ensuring that
communities grow as intended, too much of a good thing can be burdensome and make housing less affordable.

By expediting the approvals process for new development and addressing other regulatory barriers that drive up the costs of new and renovated homes — such as overly restrictive zoning rules and building codes, and regressive fees — state and local governments can cut through the red tape and free the market to expand the supply of affordable homes.

Click on the policies below to learn more about ways to implement this strategy.

Ensure Zoning Policies Support a Diversity of Housing Types
Museum Place
By comprehensively examining and revising zoning policies to expand the diversity of available housing options, communities can both increase the supply of homes affordable to working families and meet a greater range of constituents' housing needs

Adopt Expedited Permitting and Review Policies
Chatham Square
Building permits, zoning variances, and other necessary approvals can be very time-consuming, and costly, to obtain. By streamlining and expediting the approvals process, jurisdictions make it easier for the market to deliver affordable homes.
Revise Impact Fee Structures

Fall Creek Place
In many places, impact fees are a key source of revenue for covering the infrastructure costs associated with new homes. Revision of impact fee structures to more equitably allocate these costs can help to increase the availability of affordable homes.

Adopt "Rehab Codes" to Facilitate Rehabilitation of Older Homes
Galen Terrace
By adopting special building codes designed to facilitate the rehabilitation of existing structures, communities can encourage the redevelopment of older, more affordable homes without compromising resident safety.



Photo credits (clockwise from upper left): Museum Place, Portland OR -- photo courtesy of ULI Development Case Studies; Chatham Square, Alexandria VA -- photo courtesy of ULI Development Case Studies; Galen Terrace, Washington DC -- photo courtesy of NHT/Enterprise; Fall Creek Place, Indianapolis IN -- photo courtesy of Chris Palladino/Mansur Real Estate Services, Inc.