How Zoning Impacts Housing Development

Over 22 million households in the U.S. are now spending more than a third of their income on rent, while home prices continue to reach record highs. To address the housing shortage—estimated at 4.5 million homes—some jurisdictions have updated zoning codes and improved planning processes to increase the amount of land where residential developments are allowed and make it more efficient to build. According to Route Fifty, an online tool from the National Zoning Atlas now allows communities to understand how these zoning and land use codes impact the creation of housing. The tool was first released in 2022 and has been expanding to jurisdictions across the U.S. Currently, 36 states have access to the mapping tool, but that is likely to grow in the coming years.

Indeed, the online, interactive maps allow people to compare zoning codes in cities and towns in a state. The maps show where single-family housing, multifamily apartments and accessory dwelling units can be located, as well as where lot sizes, parking requirements and height caps influence development.

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