Zoning & Homelessness
Survey of U.S. mayors shows connections between land use & public policies to decrease homelessness
A survey of U.S. mayors found that only a few take zoning regulations into account in their plans to address homelessness. “Few Mayors Connect the Dots Between Zoning and Homelessness” is a Jan. 30 article in Governing magazine that describes how local zoning and land use laws impact the ability to create more housing.
The report quotes Sara Bronin, founder of the National Zoning Atlas, an effort to develop online, interactive maps that communicate essential aspects of zoning codes. The initiative revealed that zoning requirements severely restrict housing production in cities, suburbs and rural areas alike.
“These arcane laws are constraining our ability to build the housing that people need and when we don’t build enough, prices rise and housing becomes less affordable,” Bronin told Governing.
The survey was conducted in partnership with Boston University, Cornell University, and Community Solutions, which is the parent organization of Built for Zero, a nationwide initiative to decrease homelessness. Heading Home and its partners in South Central Indiana are a member of Built for Zero.
Read the full survey report here.
