Exclusionary Zoning Redux
The City Commission got a number of letters in support of multifamily housing. Here's one.
Gainesville’s City Commission voted on Thursday to reinstate exclusionary zoning citywide. And while there were some supporters of this move in the room, largely the same people who show up to nearly every single city commission meeting, the great majority of emails that the commission received before the vote was urging them to reconsider eliminating zoning for multifamily housing. The emails are a matter of public record so you can look at them for yourself here.
I wrote one of those emails and I’ll share it here.
To the City Commissioners:
If passed, the motion to reinstate exclusionary zoning (single-family-only land use) will undo the progress on housing made by the last commission. Gainesville has a growing population, with nearly 14% growth from 2010 to 2020. The amount of land that we can use for new housing in the city core is small, and we may not want to develop that land as some of it are pockets of wilderness and possible future park land that could be used to improve livability in the city.
The western part of Alachua County saw the most growth within the county. Small wonder since there is so much more open space to develop there. But developing out west instead of filling in the city core has some detrimental effects.
For starters, we're letting a tax base leave the city, which leaves the commission more restricted in what they can and can't fund. If you go out west to Tioga, Haile, Kanapaha, and Jonesville, especially during rush hour, you'll notice that development out west has made traffic much worse. And because those homes are far away from where most jobs are (UF and UF Health are by far the biggest source of jobs in Gainesville), those residents of western Alachua County choose to drive. There is truthfully no other viable choice for them to make. Increased car usage leads to increased air pollution and a decrease in pedestrian and cycling safety. It also leads to increased risk of a number of health issues. The city should be doing all it can to reduce car dependency.
The original changes in zoning allowed for small-scale development in neighborhoods, with buildings no bigger than two stories, which is actually shorter than some existing single family homes. These aren't the types of housing projects that big developers go after because the scale is too small so the profit margins are also too tight. But this is exactly the type of project a small developer or a family with property might tackle, in many cases, turning a single family home into a duplex, which we've seen in the past throughout Gainesville. Those developments did not end the neighborhoods they're in. Most people who live near a duplex, triplex, or quadplex don't realize it. Even Gainesville Neighborhood Voices, a group that has been vocal in their opposition to dense developments, apparently can't tell because the group unwittingly uses a picture of a triplex as its cover image on its Facebook page. For what it's worth, It's a nice looking triplex!
It's not just me who wants to exclude exclusionary zoning from Gainesville. The move to reform restrictive zoning laws has support nationally from a who's who of notable progressives.
Former President Obama took steps to push back exclusionary zoning laws when he was in office, with his administration saying, “We need to break down the rules that stand in the way of building new housing.” He has since also spoken out publicly against policies that promote sprawl and in favor of policies promoting density.
President Joe Biden's administration has repeatedly come out in support of getting rid of exclusionary zoning, saying, ""Because exclusionary zoning rules drive up housing prices, poorer families are kept out of wealthier, high-opportunity neighborhoods."
Housing Secretary Marcia Fudge has also pushed back on exclusionary zoning laws, saying: "Across the country, we are seeing many communities ending exclusionary zoning, building affordable housing in communities that previously did not allow it. We are seeing communities use innovative building models and materials, and design homes that are sustainable and resilient. And we’re seeing communities tackle homelessness by building permanent affordable housing with services. These are the types of community wins that we want to elevate with Our Way Home and encourage others to follow.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren has also come out against exclusionary zoning laws, telling Sec. Fudge "I was so glad to see President Biden call for the elimination of exclusionary zoning and to end harmful land use policies as part of his American Jobs Plan."
The folks that are in favor of exclusionary zoning are a who's who of who you probably don't want to be associated with.
Donald Trump couched his support of exclusionary zoning as part of his scare campaign to "save the suburbs." He tweeted: “The ‘suburban housewife’ will be voting for me. They want safety & are thrilled that I ended the long running program where low income housing would invade their neighborhood.”
Governor Ron DeSantis's administration has also expressed support for exclusionary zoning by way of his opposition to Gainesville's recent zoning changes.
By voting to reinstate exclusionary zoning, you'll find yourself at odds with former President Obama and President Biden and on the same side as former President Donald Trump and Gov. DeSantis. Think hard on that one. Do you really think that there is a huge issue where Trump and DeSantis are correct and Biden and Obama are not?
Best,
Jason Sanchez
Co-Founder of Gainesville is For People
City Plan Board Member