Reply to Is there a coherent argument that loosening zoning laws will lead to affordable housing in DC?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

That's not quite what they say. They say it will lead to *affordable* housing in the District. They say it endlessly, but no one can seem to explain how that will work. [/quote]

Please cite some examples.[/quote]

Google it. It's fundamental to the mayor's housing plans, and it makes no sense. Here's her from October:

“I’m discouraging any developer that has the opportunity to build more units so that we can have more affordable housing, to be scared away from the process,” Bowser said. “These units have been held up for too long, and we can’t continue to hear residents across our entire city be concerned about affordability without doing everything that we can to get more units.”[/quote]

Ah. In that context, presumably it means that the development project will include some affordable units. That's how it will work. [/quote]

Generally the way it works is the mayor gives the developers a blank check to do whatever they want, the developers give her lots of campaign contributions and everyone agrees to throw in a couple affordable housing units as a fig leaf so everyone can pretend this is really all about making housing affordable. [/quote]

Actually that's not how it works at all.

Affordable housing units aren't "thrown-in" they are required.

A mayor in the pocket of developers would be eliminating the IZ requirements not strengthening them which is what the Mayor has done though of course just to highlight your ignorance of how things work it is actually the DC Council that passes the laws but this proposal to strengthen the IZ law came from the Office of Planning which is an executive branch agency that reports to the Mayor!
[/quote]

Mayor Bozo-Bowser hasn’t touched IZ requirements and if you talk with OP staff they will tell you that there is no political will to increase requirements because of developer push back.  That’s why large developments, even PUDs, are averaging about 8 percent IZ.[/quote]

Google is your friend:

https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/housing-complex/blog/20828951/zoning-change-could-give-district-2600-more-affordable-housing-units

The mayor in fact did engineer a change in the IZ rules back in 2016 that made the units available to people making 25% less than the previous standard, a change that will in fact cost developers money.

But hey don't let the facts get in the way of any of your uninformed screeds.[/quote]

It’s still at 8 percent of new units.  She the developers’ ho.[/quote]

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