So many things have come across my ipad the last few days, such a target-rich environment, I have so much I could write about. And I could tie it all together in one big post! But that’s not a good idea, it would be way too long and most of you would probably quit reading long before the end, so I’ll break it up.
I think I’ll start with this – the latest place to join the zoning reform effort is Washington State, with some rather detailed and complex legislation proposed. A good description of the proposals can be found in this piece by Dan Bertolet of the Sightline Institute. The proposed bills (one in the House and one in the Senate of the Washington State legislature) would institute this formula:
- Up to sixplexes on all residential lots within a half-mile of a major transit stop in cities with populations of 20,000 or more.
- Up to fourplexes on all residential lots elsewhere in cities of 20,000 or more.
- Duplexes on all residential lots in cities with populations of at least 10,000.
The bills would do a number of other things as well, but suffice it to say it would be a significant change in the rules of local land use planning and regulation. As expected, it has its supporters and detractors. In a recent story about major issues to be addressed in the Washington legislature this year, Crosscut, an independent public-supported media website by Cascade Public Media, says:
“(Washington Governor) Inslee said the measure is needed to address a shortage of housing units throughout the state, which contributes to high housing costs. Local zoning regulations exacerbate the housing shortage by limiting the kind of “middle housing” — such as townhomes and duplexes — that can be built in certain neighborhoods, he said.
In a Crosscut/Elway Poll released this month, 55% of Washington voters said they didn’t approve of getting rid of single-family zoning in medium to large-sized cities, as Inslee’s plan proposes.
But Inslee said he thinks people in Washington do support building more housing when the idea is framed as a way to help solve homelessness and sky-high housing costs.
“I do believe people want us to address this issue,” Inslee said last week. “And what I have learned is that you can’t solve homelessness if you don’t build more housing, it’s physically impossible. We need more roofs. And to get more roofs, we need to remove some of these governmental restrictions.”
Wilcox, the House Republican leader, said he thinks those decisions should be left to cities.”
The bills are up for their first committee hearings on Tuesday.
And what of Utah? Well, after the comments by Sen. Jake Anderegg and Rep. Steve Waldrip in this week’s Unified Economic Opportunity Commission meeting that I posted about a couple of days ago, and then this comment made yesterday by Gov. Spencer Cox at the Salt Lake Chamber’s Economic Summit, I think the wave that’s coming is getting bigger.
“Cox also shared his concern that the state’s explosive growth and escalating housing costs could lead to a generational exodus as young people may need to seek more affordable climes when they leave school and enter the workforce…. (H)e said that the upcoming legislative session would see bills focused on smart growth strategies that, while necessary, may not find favor with all audiences.”
Start swimming!