We need city residents to speak up for affordable housing and racial equity in Charlottesville! The draft Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) analysis badly misses the mark established by the Affordable Housing Plan and Comprehensive Plan. The approach in the IZ analysis does not go far enough to create a more equitable and inclusive city. Sign to support prompt and meaningful action to address our community’s housing needs! 

We ask that the City incorporate the following priorities and recommendations into the proposed Inclusionary Zoning policy and the zoning rewrite:

A. Fulfill the Comprehensive Plan and stop promoting exclusionary neighborhoods! Meaningful affordability needs better incentives than currently proposed. The draft bonus density incentives will not result in enough affordable housing in general residential and medium intensity districts. The city should support development of affordable housing by allowing more incentives for Inclusionary Zoning, such as 1) allowing an affordable housing overlay where medium intensity density is allowed in general residential areas where all units above the base density are affordable (potentially including units below 50% AMI), 2) tax abatements, 3) infrastructure cost-sharing, and 4) process-based tools such as expedited reviews.

B. Pair vouchers with development to create additional opportunities at all income levels.

C. Eliminate minimum lot size requirements altogether. Minimum lot size rules will exclude smaller, more affordable housing. Additionally, any public safety benefit is addressed in the building code. 

D. Increase flexibility in long-term affordability provisions to balance the goal of long-term preservation with a variety of housing models. The proposed 99-year affordability period potentially limits affordable homeownership and wealth-building.

E. Improve opportunities and reduce displacement of people from historically marginalized groups by ensuring that all parts of the new zoning code work to improve racial equity.