HOW ZONING SHAPES COMMUNITIES

THE GOOD, BAD AND HOPEFUL ASPECTS 

OF THE CENTURY-OLD TOOL THAT DETERMINES

EVERYTHING ABOUT THE PLACES WE LIVE, WORK AND PLAY

David Morley, AICP, American Planning Association’s research program and QA manager, said the Post War/Baby Boom era created so many single-family-only communities, that any other density started feeling unnatural. 

He said over the past few decades, there is a growing awareness that communities need missing middle and affordable housing.

“One point I like to make in general is that a lot of zoning is antithetical to what communities need,” Morley said. 

“Zoning is a powerful tool. Why not use it to create more affordable housing than to use its power to keep more of the same, aka preventing it?”