City of Worcester’s Post

Have you ever wondered about the after-effects of major development in small areas? As a Harbour Island resident, an important question is about the impact on daily life. With traffic and parking becoming a hindrance during events like Lighting season, I think with the City of St. Petersburg it's worth considering the lessons learned from similar developments in the City of Tampa, Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, Tampa River Walk and Water Street. Let's hope decision-makers like Rob Gerdes of the City of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Rays take note and prioritize the community's quality of life. #communityimpact #urbanplanning #TampaBay

Here's what to watch for when Raleigh's City Council meets this week:

The bridge is closing!!! As we head into the weekend, the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington, NC, is about to kick off its massive repair project, set to divert thousands of commuters and cause massive traffic concerns for the area. There's a heated debate in the community: should we replace this iconic bridge? If so, how and with what? Proponents argue that a new bridge would be safer and more efficient, addressing the growing traffic needs. On the other hand, opponents raise concerns about the cost and the potential loss of a historic landmark. But what about you? Do you feel a sense of nostalgia as you cross this bridge, a reminder of Wilmington's history? Or do you find yourself frustrated by the frequent maintenance and traffic delays? If replaced, are you for or against the toll option for funding? And, just what kind of bridge, or how tall, should it be. Your opinion matters in this debate. Are you for replacing the bridge, against it, or perhaps you're indifferent? Share your thoughts in the comments. Your voice could shape the future of this vital link in our community. As food for thought, and to help you get caught up, I'm including links to some recent articles on the topic. I'm not advocating for one side or the other, just sharing what has come across my feed in the last few months. Look forward to your feedback!

The latest update!

I'm excited to share this new UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies report, published in partnership with the Terner Center, exploring some of the tradeoffs involved in the use of inclusionary zoning (IZ) policies to meet affordable housing goals. There's a lot of pressure to meet affordable housing goals, but limited tools for doing so. IZ is often seen as a solution, but the challenges of studying IZ empirically leave policymakers with very little guidance on how to think about it. This is not an empirical study, but my hope is that the conceptual approach taken here helps identify and clarify the costs and benefits of IZ. It's a starting point for deeper conversations, not the final word. Summarizing the analysis and some findings: 1. I used the Terner Housing Policy Simulator to model market-rate and below-market housing production through the City of LA's Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) program, with inclusionary zoning requirements ranging from 0% to 40%. 2. All else equal, IZ always reduces production, but higher reqs lead to diminishing gains of below market-rate (BMR) units and accelerating losses of market-rate units. There's a point where higher IZ produces fewer of *both*. 3. LA's TOC program is well-calibrated to increase production of both. For example, TOC w/ 11% IZ produces more total housing than 0% without TOC bonuses. 4. Holding TOC bonuses constant, higher inclusionary zoning requirements come at significant cost. At best, every below-market unit produced by IZ reduces market-rate production by more than 4 units. At higher IZ, this "exchange rate" climbs to almost 9-to-1. 5. Inclusionary zoning isn't just an additional cost. The below-market units produced by IZ have value to the public, and specifically to low-income households, as a private subsidy by developers. I estimate the annual value of those subsidies under different IZ scenarios, ranging from $550 million to $1.7 billion. 6. We don't know how much different IZ requirements will increase rents, but we *can* estimate how much rents would need to increase to negate the value of private subsidies invested in affordable IZ units. And I find the required rent increases are quite small. For example, a 16% IZ requirement reduces market-rate production by almost half. If that reduction causes rents to increase at least 4.8% instead of 4% per year, the costs may outweigh the benefits. To me, that's not implausible. My takeaway: Different tools have different strengths, and land use policy may be best suited to improving affordability in the wider housing market, while public subsidies are best for producing below-market homes. IZ seeks to produce affordable homes by substituting land use policy in place of broadly shared taxes and public subsidies. This analysis suggests that the public may be paying either way, and that the costs of IZ are both higher and more regressive than the alternative

We want to hear from you! A draft of the City of Brantford’s new Zoning By-law is now available to review and we want to hear what you think. Visit https://lnkd.in/gCzsTU3z to learn more, share your thoughts and ask questions of the project team. Your feedback may be considered while the new zoning by-law is finalized and prepared for Brantford City Council approval. #LetsTalkBrantford | #BrantfordZoning | #BrantfordPlanning

Check out this new paper from the Terner Center: "Making Missing Middle Pencil: The Math Behind Small-Scale Housing Development" California focused, but still valuable takeways for other parts of the country. via Terner Center for Housing Innovation

We want to hear from you! A draft of the City of Brantford’s new Zoning By-law is now available to review and we want to hear what you think. Visit https://lnkd.in/gCzsTU3z to learn more, share your thoughts and ask questions of the project team. Your feedback may be considered while the new zoning by-law is finalized and prepared for Brantford City Council approval. #LetsTalkBrantford | #BrantfordZoning | #BrantfordPlanning

We want to hear from you! A draft of the City of Brantford’s new Zoning By-law is now available to review and we want to hear what you think. Visit https://lnkd.in/gCzsTU3z to learn more, share your thoughts and ask questions of the project team. Your feedback may be considered while the new zoning by-law is finalized and prepared for Brantford City Council approval. #LetsTalkBrantford | #BrantfordZoning | #BrantfordPlanning

Longevity is a byproduct of quality & consistency