Why Your Community Needs Planning-Led Zoning Reform

Elected leaders are turning to community planners for their insights and data-backed policy ideas to overcome restrictive zoning and other barriers that prevent housing development in the places where people most need choice.

From parking minimums to building more housing near transit, planners — together with decision makers — are finding innovative, locally led ways to make housing more affordable, accessible, and available to residents.

Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook

Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook cover

Solutions, Systems, Partnerships

The Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook is for local elected officials and community planners working to boost diverse, attainable, and equitable housing supply in communities nationwide.

The Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook is a result of the partnership between APA and the National League of Cities.

 

Download the playbook.


Housing Supply Resource Sections

Allowing For a Range of Multiunit Housing Types

Reducing Parking Minimums

Making Space for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

Repurposing Buildings as Homes

Linking Housing to Transportation

Incentivizing Local Reform Through State Action


Allowing For a Range of Multiunit Housing Types

Planners Can Lead Through Zoning Reform and Equitable Comprehensive Plans (podcast)

Dismantling Discriminatory Barriers to Housing: APA Equity in Zoning Policy Guide (webpage)

Housing diversity encourages age-friendly, accessible communities (Planning magazine)

Going Beyond "Use" Zoning to Promote Housing Equity (APA Blog)

Spokane’s Interim Housing Ordinance Allowed City to do ‘Some Great Things’ (Planning magazine)

Eagle, Colorado Goes to Bat for Affordable Housing Solutions (Planning magazine) 

Reducing Parking Minimums

A Business Case for Dropping Parking Minimums (Planning magazine)

Three Zoning Reform Success Stories that Reignited Downtown Development (Planning magazine)

Making Space for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

What's at Stake: Zoning Reform with Arlova Vonhm, AICP (video)

New ADU Tools May Unlock Affordable Housing In Your Backyard (Planning magazine) 

ADU Resources for Policymakers: From Model Legislation to Case Studies

What's Blocking an ADU Boom? (Planning magazine)

San Diego County Tackles Affordable Housing and Climate Change (podcast)

Repurposing Buildings as Homes

Is Zoning Helping or Hindering Office-to-Housing Conversions? (APA Blog)

Small Churches Equal Big Opportunities (APA Blog)

Transforming Empty Churches Into Affordable Housing Takes More Than a Leap of Faith (Planning magazine)

How Adaptive Reuse Can Help Solve the Housing Crisis (Planning magazine)

Yes, You Can Convert Vacant Retail to Housing (Planning magazine)

Linking Housing to Transportation

Axios Local Events: How Zoning Reform Can Spur Redevelopment, Economic Growth, and a Demand for Housing (video)

Incentivizing Local Reform Through State Action

How the Bipartisan 'Montana Miracle' Confronts the Housing Crisis Head On (Planning magazine)

Housing Reform Through State Legislation and Local Zoning (Zoning Practice)

Have a question or thought to share about planners' work with elected officials to increase the nation's housing supply? Email housing@planning.org