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Height bonus proposal for deeply affordable housing sparks debate
Summary
Staff proposed height increases (up to 40–45 feet) for deeper affordability or net-zero performance in the Community Housing zone; commissioners debated whether bonuses should apply only to deed-restricted units, to multifamily buildings, or to entire developments.
Staff proposed allowing additional building height in the Community Housing (CH) zone for developments that deliver deeper affordability or achieve a higher net-zero performance. Simonson described the proposed structure: a baseline 35-foot height limit, with the possibility of 40 or 45 feet for more deeply affordable or net-zero projects. "If they were going with more deeply affordable, they could get more height," Simonson said.
Commissioners and SSR members raised competing concerns: several urged that any height bonus be tied to multifamily structures or deed-restricted portions so that the extra vertical capacity directly benefits affordable units, while others argued developers need the entire project's vertical envelope (including higher-priced units) to make projects financially feasible and subsidize the deed-restricted units. The group also discussed caps on single-family unit square footage in CH (a draft 3,000-square-foot cap was mentioned) to discourage outsize free-market units in developments intended to prioritize affordable housing.
Outcome: No final decision. Staff will return draft language clarifying whether the height bonus applies only to deed-restricted units, to multifamily buildings, or to the whole development, and will harmonize the Appendix A tables before further SSR review.
