Effects of Upzoning Legislation on Middle Housing Development and the Housing Crisis

Abstract

The United States is facing a growing housing affordability crisis, driven in part by restrictive land-use policies such as single-family zoning. In response, many cities have adopted upzoning legislation. These are laws that increase the residential density permitted in previously single-family zones with the intent of stimulating the construction of middle housing (forms of multifamily housing like duplexes and townhomes smaller than apartments). This thesis investigates the effectiveness of such legislation in increasing multifamily development in previously single-family zones, focusing on its impact in four American college towns: Ann Arbor, Eugene, Iowa City, and Charlottesville. Using a three-pronged methodology including permitting data analysis, legislative analysis, and interviews with city planners, the research identifies which upzoning measures most effectively spur multifamily development. Results suggest that some reforms, mainly allowing middle housing by-right and expedited approval processes, successfully led to development. Others, however, yielded minimal results. This study aims to provide cities battling housing crises with insights into the efficacy of various upzoning measures, allowing them to draft their own optimal upzoning legislation.