KJZZ reports on the prospect of dense, affordable housing coming to Salt Lake City.
City planners are hoping fewer restrictions and higher density will make it more economically attractive for developers to include affordable units in their proposals. They’re just beginning the process of shaping a proposal.
James Wood, senior fellow with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute who’s studied Utah housing for decades, said “it’s nothing but positive.” He said higher density is necessary to making housing more affordable.
In Austin, Texas, city leaders have allowed taller buildings for projects with affordable housing in one neighborhood since 2004. That’s sparked 822 affordable housing units, according to NPR affiliate KUT.
In Palo Alto, California, city leaders allowed higher density than normally allowed for a 59-unit affordable housing complex and a 102-unit condominium development, with 16 units offered below the market rate.
“They tweaked some development standards including reducing parking requirements, allowing a little more density and allowing a little more height — not dramatically,” said Gennady Sheyner, staff writer for Palo Alto Weekly.
Read more here.
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