Workforce Housing Committee votes to send draft policy to city council for review

The Preskitt Workforce Housing Committee voted 6-0 to recommend its draft workforce-housing policy to the city council, with staff directed to deliver the revised document to council for a study session in December or earlier if scheduling allows. The committee’s motion to forward the document followed two years of drafting and multiple revisions.

The committee’s recommendation advances a policy package that expands options for developers to support affordable units, including density bonuses tied to city goals and neighborhood compatibility, the possibility to pay all or a portion of impact fees, and phased inclusion requirements that encourage an equal percentage of workforce units in each phase of a project. The draft also says that if fee deferrals are used, any associated incentives would be deferred until the final phase is permitted and that quality standards must meet adopted building codes and other applicable city requirements.

Committee staff member Amber, acting as the meeting facilitator, described the procedural options before…