Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Councilors press housing actions: summit, UDO reform and local backstops for federal cuts
Summary
Council members urged a two‑track housing strategy at the April 9 session: short‑term supports (homeowner repair, rental assistance) and longer‑term supply increases via a housing summit and a possible form‑based UDO rewrite (estimated $300k–$500k).
Affordable housing and homelessness dominated the council’s budget discussion on April 9, with members urging a mix of immediate supports and structural reforms.
Council member Piedmont Smith said many federally funded housing programs the city runs — homeowner repair, individual rental assistance and down‑payment assistance — face potential cuts. “These are all going to face cuts from the federal government, and I think we need to spend some local money to keep these programs going,” she said.
To expand housing supply, council members proposed convening a housing summit to bring builders and funders together and suggested targeted incentives (for example, down‑payment assistance or small‑developer incentives for 8–12‑unit buildings). Several members pressed for a rewrite of the Unified Development Ordinance toward a form‑based code to enable more housing types; council discussed consultant costs ranging from $300,000 to $500,000 and a drafting timeline of roughly 12–24 months for the initial rewrite, with broader public engagement adding time.
Members also raised permitting improvements — a permitting concierge and enhanced web tools — to reduce barriers for builders, and discussed land‑banking and bonding as mechanisms to acquire and deliver owner‑occupied housing. No formal commitments or votes were taken; the fiscal committee will review housing offers when it meets April 16.
