Savannah council adopts affordable-housing overlay map amendment after heated public hearing; vote 7–2

The Savannah City Council approved a zoning map amendment on April 24 to add an Affordable Housing Overlay in parts of several historic neighborhoods, placing the ordinance on first and second reading and voting 7–2 to pass.

The measure, presented by Bridget Liddy, director of planning and urban design, and Edward Morrow of the Metropolitan Planning Commission, creates a program that allows limited density increases — for example duplexes, triplexes or quads — in designated areas when developers or property owners opt into the overlay and agree to set specified units as "affordable" under a definition the council adopted in November. Liddy told the council the map specifically covers portions of the Victorian District, Metropolitan, Thomas Square and Live Oak neighborhoods and that other neighborhoods may petition to join later.

Supporters framed the overlay as a targeted, voluntary tool to increase housing options for workers and residents priced out of the city. "My generation knows that none of us will be able to buy our own houses anytime soon," Tiger Lily Harrington, a 24-year-old Victorian District resident, told the council, urging a yes vote.

Opponents raised concerns about whether the program would change neighborhood character, affect tourism and reduce property values, and whether private investors might exploit incentives. "This area should be, I think, built, but not on an affordable housing side," said Scott Gooch, a Victorian District resident who opposed the map expansion.

City staff and the mayor pushed back on several misunderstandings during the hearing. Edward Morrow said the overlay does not introduce new uses to base zoning except when an applicant seeks to add units and meet the overlay’s affordability requirements. He described a typical threshold: in many cases, one unit in a duplex would be required to meet the overlay’s affordability standard; in a quadruplex, two units would need to be affordable. Liddy and staff said any unit claiming the overlay must be certified through the housing services department to verify compliance and the affordable designation runs for a defined period under procedures the council previously approved.

Council members debated whether privately financed projects that take advantage of the overlay should be required to keep units affordable; one proposed amendment to exempt private-funded projects from affordability restrictions was discussed and ultimately ruled out of order because the item before the council was the map (a zoning action) not the text or financing rules. Several councilmembers asked staff to review incentives and enforcement mechanisms, and stressed the need to ensure neighborhood outreach and add other neighborhoods that wish to opt in.

After debate, a motion to consider the ordinance on first and second reading and place it upon passage was moved and seconded. The motion carried, and the mayor announced that the vote was 7 in favor and 2 opposed. Council directed staff to allow neighborhoods interested in joining the overlay to petition quickly for inclusion.

What’s next: The map amendment was approved by council on first-and-second reading at the meeting; because the map works in tandem with text the council previously adopted, staff will begin administering the program and neighborhoods may request to be added. The council did not set an ordinance number in the public record at the meeting.