Principle:  In higher-rent areas of the City, when developers ask the City for upzoning, the City should seek affordable housing in exchange for giving the developer the benefit of additional profit from higher density.

 

• Reduce the city’s segregation, create balanced development and investment:  We propose to amend the ARO to require a higher-percent of affordable housing in high-rent neighborhoods.  By asking for 30% affordable housing in the highest-rent neighborhoods, but only 10% in low-rent neighborhoods, we hope to disrupt patterns of over-development in north side wards and under-development in south and west side wards.  This change increases the relative profitability for developers to build in areas experiencing blight.

 

• Generate more affordable units, especially in areas where there is little to no affordable housing.

  1. In High-Rent zones and areas with a significant population that is vulnerable to displacement:  The City will require a higher requirement of 30% of new units set-aside as affordable housing.

  2. Moderate-Rent Neighborhoods:  Require 20% of new units set-aside as affordable.

  3. Low-Rent Neighborhoods:  Keep only the current requirement of 10% set-aside as affordable.

  4. Small buildings, 3-9 units, non-owner occupied: In conditions where Investor-Purchaser seeks upzoning approval from the City, require 1 affordable unit at a sliding scale.

 

• Prevent “opt-outs”:  Remove the option for developers to pay “in lieu of” fees instead of providing the affordable units on site in their buildings.  If developers are allowed to opt-out, especially in high-rent areas, they inevitably will opt-out because it is cheaper.  With our amendments, the ARO will do what it was intended to do- create inclusionary development and increase affordable housing in areas it is lacking.

 

• Permanent affordability:  Units produced under the ARO will be affordable in perpetuity.

 

• Real affordability:  Provide rents that are truly affordable to minimum wage workers, seniors, people with disabilities, families of color.  For upzoning requests seeking approval for 10+ units:

  1. ¼ of the affordable units will have rents between 15-20% AMI ($251-$354 for 3 bdrm)

  2. ¼ of the affordable units will rent at 30% AMI ($610 for a 3-bdrm)

  3. Half the affordable units will have rents at 50% AMI ($970 for a 3-bdrm)

 

• Create family-sized apartments:  The ARO only generated 22 three-bedroom apartments from 2007 & 2017.  Until we start creating family affordable housing, the ARO is worth very little.

  1. Require 2- & 3-bedroom apts in upzoning approvals (60% of the affordable units to be family-sized)

• Create wheelchair accessible housing options:  Affordable units shall be Type-A adaptable or comply with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS).

• Create a more transparent and user-friendly system: DPD will report on leasing rates and create a centralized web portal for families seeking housing to know where there are vacancies.

• Expand Triggers mandating affordable housing in High-Displacement Risk Areas. Current ARO triggers are limited, allowing conversions of naturally occurring affordable rental housing into luxury units with no set-asides. In Moderate-Rent and High-Rent census tracts where populations vulnerable to displacement currently live, we expand the triggers requiring affordable housing to include permits for new construction & high-cost renovation in 10+ unit developments.

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Aldermanic Sponsors of the

Development for All Ordinance

(Listed by ward number after Lead Sponsor)

 

1. Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) (Housing Committee) ***LEAD SPONSOR***

2. Alderman Daniel LaSpata (1st) (Housing Committee)

3. Alderwoman Sophia King (4th) (Housing Committee)

4. Alderwoman Michelle Harris (8th) (Housing Committee)

5. Alderwoman Susan Sadlowski Garza (10th)

6. Alderwoman Stephanie Coleman (16th)

7. Alderman David Moore (17th)

8. Alderman Derrick Curtis (18th)

9. Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor (20th)

10. Alderman Mike Rodriguez (22nd) (Housing Committee)

11. Alderman Roberto Maldonado (26th) (Housing Committee)

12. Alderman Chris Taliaferro (29th)

13. Alderman Felix Cardona (31st)

14. Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33rd)

15. Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th)

16. Alderwoman Emma Mitts (37th)

17. Alderman Andre Vasquez (40th)

18. Alderwoman Michele Smith (43rd)

19. Alderman Matt Martin (47th) (Housing Committee)

20. Alderwoman Maria Hadden (49th) (Housing Committee)

 

Status updated as of 10/1/2019

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