San Francisco, a city of 750,000, adopted its first program in 1992, making it the first big city to do so. This program has been substantially changed and modified over the years, generally to make it more demanding and productive. It is notable for imposing a different affordable housing obligation on developments needing re-zoning and those proceeding as-of-right. It might be the only program that does not provide density bonuses or any other cost off-sets for as-of-right developments. Continue reading San Francisco CA : ‘Residential Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program’
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Davis CA : ‘Affordable Housing Program’
Davis, a small city of 65,000 in northern California, is well-known for its progressive planning and environmental policies. Their program, first passed in 1977, was subsequently enhanced twice. It is notable for its efforts to provide a fuller range of housing types, including a variety of affordable ownership and rental housing as well as land for social and special needs housing.
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Montgomery County MD : ‘Moderately Priced Housing Program’
Montgomery County, a large and fast-growing county of 950,000 outside of Washington DC, adopted its initial program in 1971, making it among the first in the country. It also might be the single most productive program in the country. Despite its success, its particular approach to many key aspects have not been emulated in later programs. Continue reading Montgomery County MD : ‘Moderately Priced Housing Program’
Toronto ON: ‘Large Sites Policy’
Toronto’s inclusionary housing policy is found in housing policy 9 of its Official Plan. The policy is commonly called the ‘large sites policy’ because it applies only to sites greater than 5 ha in size.
To date, this policy has not been used to provide affordable housing, nor have any implementing regulations or guidelines been prepared to augment the basic requirements found in the OP. Continue reading Toronto ON: ‘Large Sites Policy’
Burlington VT : ‘Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance’
Burlington, a small city of 40,000 in northern Vermont, is acclaimed for many progressive affordable housing initiatives that it has adopted. Its inclusionary program, first adopted in 1990 and modified once since then, draws upon and incorporates many of the best practices developed elsewhere, while introducing innovations of its own – notably, imposing a higher affordable housing obligation on developments serving higher income levels.
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Boston MA : ‘Inclusionary Development Policy’
Boston, a city of 600,000, established its program in 2000 by executive order of its mayor, and modified it on several occasions since then. It nominally applies only to new developments needing a re-zoning approval, but in reality affects all new developments because of the city’s archaic by-laws. The program imposes a fixed inclusionary obligation on all new developments, but unlike its predecessors allows for the cost off-sets to be determined through negotiation.
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