Details

Title	Land Use Regulation and the Rental Housing Market: A Case Study of Massachusetts Communities
Highlights	This report states that local opposition to affordable housing often limits housing choices.                         According to the report, local zoning requirements constrain the supply of affordable housing.   In Massachusetts, Chapter 40B allows developers to bypass local zoning laws if a minimum percentage of units are affordable to low- and moderate-income households.
Description	This report examines the effect of local land use regulations on rental housing markets in eastern and central Massachusetts. According to the report, affordable rental housing production is constrained by the limited amount of land zoned for multifamily housing development and other restrictive regulations, such as minimum lot size requirements. Rental housing options are also minimized by community opposition and procedural barriers, such as special permit requirements for multifamily housing development. The report also discusses the state's zoning law, Chapter 40B, which allows developers to bypass local zoning restrictions if a minimum percentage of housing units are affordable to low- and moderate- income households.
Publication Date	2006
Organization	Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University
Web Location	http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/publications/rental/revisiting_rental_symposium/papers/rr07-13_schuetz.pdf

Notice: The contents of this record reflect the views of the author and/or promulgating municipality, and should not be construed as representing the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or U.S. HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research. No attempt has been made by U.S. HUD or its contractors to verify the accuracy, currency, or validity of the record contents presented herein.