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Council requests analysis of R1/R1U single‑family housing and homestead exemption status
Summary
The council passed Resolution 19-20-25 asking the city's housing director to produce a comprehensive report on R1‑zoned and owner‑occupied housing patterns, homestead-exemption usage and rental registrations to inform housing policy and fiscal forecasting.
The West Lafayette Common Council on Sept. 2 approved Resolution 19-20-25 directing the housing director to prepare a comprehensive analysis of R1‑zoned housing and homestead‑exemption status within city limits.
Councilor Stacy Burr (presenting the resolution) said the study responds to a broader housing-supply analysis and city concerns about changes in owner‑occupied single‑family housing, rental conversions and the implications for school enrollments and tax forecasting, especially in light of state-level property-tax changes from Senate Bill 1. The resolution asks the housing director to work with city and county colleagues to compile data on total R1 parcels, how many properties claim homestead exemptions (indicating owner occupancy), which properties are registered with the city's rental housing program, and related patterns that can be mapped and analyzed.
Housing Director Chad Spitznoggle (spoke during the meeting) said the city's records and the rental‑housing registration program provide a starting point and that he would coordinate with APC and the county where needed. Several speakers and residents during public comment urged the inclusion of historical data, occupancy counts, and proactive public release of the compiled information. Resident Zachary Veil suggested adding historical registration dates and current occupant counts to better measure density and change over time.
Councilors discussed whether R1U should be explicitly included; the presenter said the intent includes R1U and the housing director confirmed he would include all relevant R1 categories. The resolution asks for a public presentation of findings at the earliest feasible date; the council passed the resolution unanimously (9 yeas, no nays).
Councilors and staff emphasized the resolution is intended to gather better data to inform housing policy choices and to improve transparency; staff said they would return with initial findings and that the effort could be iterative with further follow-ups based on data availability.
