The hottest trend in U.S. cities? Changing zoning rules to allow more housing
Tim Evans for NPR
Zoning reform is a must if we’re going to solve the housing crisis, and Minneapolis was a vanguard. It allowed more density near transit lines, did away with parking minimums and embraced backyard casitas. Researchers at The Pew Charitable Trusts studied the effect of these changes from 2017 and 2022 and found that the city increased its housing stock by 12% in five years—far more than anyplace else. What was key to this bump? “The vast majority of new housing was in midsize apartment buildings with 20 or more units,” the article says. All of that new housing also kept rents down. Now, more cities and some states are eyeing zoning reforms as a way to boost badly needed supply.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2024/02/17/1229867031/housing-shortage-zoning-reform-cities
