Historically inequitable land use planning has had a disparate impact on people and places within our region. Discriminatory land use planning practices have perpetuated systemic racial inequalities, resulting in limited access to resources, opportunities, and fair housing options for American Indians, Black communities, and communities of color. Inflexible low-density residential land use categories often mandate large lot sizes and prohibit even low-density multi-family housing, making it unaffordable to many. Discriminatory lending practices, such as redlining, systematically denied mortgages to people of color, particularly those living in predominantly non-white neighborhoods. Single-family land use planning played a role in this process by restricting the types of housing available in these areas, further entrenching racial segregation. By concentrating affluent residents in predominantly single-family neighborhoods, while restricting affordable housing options elsewhere, land use planning contributed to racial segregation.

Residential land use categories that support more than one type of housing product offer a variety of housing types and accommodate the needs of diverse populations, including large families, immigrants, and older adults, all within one neighborhood. By providing a mix of housing options, including single-family homes, townhouses, duplexes, or apartments, local governments can offer affordable housing choices to a broader range of residents and help prevent socio-economic segregation to ensure that individuals of all income levels can access housing where they would like.

The region must plan to support housing options and services for those who are most vulnerable to housing insecurity. As the population ages, there is a growing need for housing that is accessible, affordable, and designed to meet the unique needs of older adults. For people with disabilities, accessible housing options are essential for individuals to live independently. These housing options must be integrated within all scales of development close to supportive services, healthcare facilities, culturally responsive social services, and recreational programs to ensure that people are protected from isolation and have access to essential services.

Revitalizing and strengthening the built form at the neighborhood level, along with repurposing existing vacant or underutilized buildings, fosters a sense of community pride and belonging by improving the functionality of and cultural connection to one’s neighborhoods.

Support local controls and fiscal devices which allow mixed use developments and diverse housing types by right, and incentivize the creation of affordable housing opportunities, including modular homes in single-family districts, cooperative housing, and multi-generational housing options.

Accommodate and preserve manufactured and modular home communities and educate residents about manufactured and modular housing benefits.

Support revision of local regulations and fiscal controls as well as local policies, procedures, and practices to remedy historic land use and housing discriminatory practices.

Provide guidance and technical assistance to support housing and land use policy implementation in local comprehensive planning.

Invest in locally-led development initiatives that actively counteract the adverse effects of gentrification, ensuring long-term affordability, cultural vibrancy, and stability of gentrifying neighborhoods.

Support the local integration of supportive services, healthcare facilities, culturally responsive social services, and recreational programs.

Support the creation of local controls and fiscal devices that address the needs of individuals experiencing housing insecurity that connect them with emergency housing services during a public health or climate crisis.

Support the creation and enforcement of local controls that ensure the maintenance of healthy and safe properties for tenants.

Support the creation and enforcement of local controls that permit the construction of accessory dwelling units in areas within the MUSA.

Improve transportation choices to connect senior housing and affordable housing to essential services, healthcare facilities, and recreational amenities.

Support fair housing initiatives and housing programs that remediate historic inequities in land use policy implementation and development practices.

Explore opportunities to design and retrofit neighborhoods to reduce auto-dependency.

Incentivize public transportation hubs and multimodal connections within and adjacent to housing developments, where transit services are available.

Ensure equitable access to safe and healthy housing planning for residential uses away from manufactured or environmental harms.