Some newly elected officials in Gainesville, Florida, have put the city on the path to become what could be the first in the country to reinstate single-family zoning in the current intense conflict surrounding the hot-button topic.
Commissioners have voted 4-3 to initiate the process for reinstating zoning that prevents the building in parts of Gainesville of duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes. That was the same proportional split from October under a different mix of commissioners who voted to end single-family zoning with the goal of increasing density and adding more affordable housing.
The shift shows the difficulty in cities across the United States of increasing housing density, an issue that has taken on importance in states like California with large homeless populations and increasing complaints about a lack of affordability.
Opponents of eliminating single-family zoning in Gainesville signaled the likelihood of reversing the law when it passed in October.
Elections in November added new commissioners who campaigned on overturning the law once they had the opportunity. They joined commissioners who were reelected and had voted against the measure the first time.
Removing single-family zoning opened parts of Gainesville to higher density by allowing developers to build duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes. Now officials say they want more information to study as they consider their next step.
A handful of other cities across the nation such as Minneapolis and states like Oregon and California have also voted to lift restrictive zoning with the goal of improving affordability. Leaders of organizations in the debate around the country have said they are unaware of any reversals that have occurred in the current back-and-forth.
Proposals Draw Opposition
Such efforts draw large amounts of opposition, pitting the not-in-my-backyard crowd against those in the yes-in-my-backyard camp. The biggest argument against has been that allowing more density harms neighborhoods as single-family lots are bought and high-density is built to replace owners with renters.
Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut, who opposed eliminating single-family zoning the first time, maintained the opposition, saying the way it was done in October wasn’t the best. “It was very, very divisive racially, economically, and our city needs to heal,” she said during the commissioners meeting on Thursday.
Opposition also had come from the state and Alachua County leaders.
Newly elected commissioner Byran Eastman called on freezing all multifamily housing construction for six months to discuss options, while commissioner Reina Saco wants to see data that shows where the law change has harmed the city before considering a repeal.
Other areas across the country are considering similar moves. Arlington County, Virginia, for example, is working through a plan to address affordability concerns.
The county, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is home to e-commerce giant Amazon's East Coast headquarters.