Nudge, don’t force, housing development changes

Iowa City Council members are right to explore options to encourage development of affordable housing throughout the city. It's well-known that the city doesn't have enough affordable housing to meet demand - many young professionals and others can't afford a decent place to live in Iowa City.

Inclusionary zoning policies could help ensure more affordable homes are available. That strategy also could help promote diverse, vibrant neighborhoods.

But when considering inclusionary zoning policies, councilors should think about carrots as well as sticks - considering reasonable incentives for developers who must work within those extra requirements.

Inclusionary zoning ordinances require that new housing developments include a certain number of homes that would be affordable to people with low-to-moderate incomes .

It's a way to scatter affordable housing throughout a community, rather than having it concentrated in only a few specific neighborhoods.

Some communities allow developers to provide cash payments or develop some of the affordable units off-site, as another way of encouraging affordable development.

Some version of inclusionary zoning is used in more than 200 communities across the country, according to estimates by Iowa City staff.

The lack of affordable options in many parts of Iowa City is a possible contributor to several issues.

Some advocates say that scattering affordable housing would help the city with another sticky problem: The current economic disparities plaguing Iowa City Schools.

The wild differences between elementary schools' concentrations of students in poverty has many people concerned. But because of housing patterns, there is no easy way to balance student populations.

Inclusionary zoning is no quick fix for that problem, but it's a step in the right direction.

Councilors were split on the idea earlier this spring. Some council members were skeptical of putting too many requirements on developers. “I can't ask a developer to build what I want to build,” Connie Champion said at that time.

Other councilors pointed out that even young professionals are priced out of Iowa City's housing market - choosing instead to live in nearby towns and commute.

City staff advise that trend won't change on its own - the city must do something to nudge developers in the direction of affordable housing.

We agree.

That said, we believe the key is in incentives, not just restrictions. Council should weigh ideas that would make it feasible for developers to add lower-cost homes to their projects. Merely requiring a certain number or percentage of affordable units per development might encourage developers to take their ideas somewhere else - defeating the purpose of inclusionary policies in the first place.

Better to make it worth developers' while to help meet this important community need.

--The Gazette Editorial Board