Tempe considers citywide development-bonus program to create long-term affordable units

Tempe staff presented a framework for a citywide development-bonus program that would let developers receive additional residential density, building height and parking relief in exchange for dedicating affordable housing units, staff said. The presentation was made to a joint meeting of the Tempe City Council and the Tempe Development Review Commission.

City planners framed the proposal as a voluntary tool to increase the supply of housing at lower income tiers while aligning with Tempe General Plan 2050. “The development bonus program…is essentially a voluntary process intended to provide a public benefit, i.e. in the form of affordable housing,” said Ryan Levesque, Deputy Director of Planning.

Staff said the program would be applied citywide and administered through a zoning code amendment. Under the draft framework, a property’s “gained” density compared with its underlying zoning would be used to calculate how many of the additional units must be set aside as affordable at specified AMI tiers. Planners discussed multiple affordability tiers tied to AMI ranges and offered example coverage levels for the additional units. Michelle…