Archives for December 2010

A Guide to Developing Inclusionary Housing Programs

December 2, 2010

Richard Drdla Associates:  A Guide to Developing Inclusionary Housing Programs; Acorn Institute Canada:  September 2010.  

This guide examines the main features of  inclusionary housing that should be addressed, together with the main principles and key practices that should be followed, to implement a productive program.    The material draws to a large extent upon the best practices widely used across the US in their inclusionary zoning programs.   This guide was prepared through funding provided by the Catherine Donnelly Foundation.  Read the report

Affordable Housing Mandates

December 2, 2010

Richard Drdla Associates:  Affordable Housing Mandates: Regulatory Measures used by States, Provinces and Metropolitan Areas to Support Affordable Housing; CMHC, August 2001.

This report examines the affordable housing mandates that have been used in the US and Canada to oblige  municipalities to provide for affordable housing.  It focuses mainly on the demanding mandates in New Jersey, California, and Massachusetts, but also looks at others in British Columbia, Ontario and elsewhere.  Under the best of these mandates, municipalities are obliged to use the planning regulations and development approval process to provide for affordable housing in affirmative and effective ways going well beyond the  “good planning” practices seen in Canada.  Read the Report.