Regulatory Barriers Database

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1.  Living Smart Houses

Location(s):	Oregon	Portland

Highlights

			Portland, Oregon recognized that infill development on small lots was impacted by processing delays.
			Portland created ‘permit ready’ house plans for use on certain infill lots.

2.  Toolkit for Affordable Housing Development

Location(s):	Virginia	Alexandria
	Virginia	Arlington County
	Maryland	Bowie
	Virginia	Fairfax City
	Virginia	Fairfax County
	Virginia	Falls Church
	Maryland	Frederick County
	Virginia	Loudon County
	Maryland	Montgomery County
	Maryland	Rockville

Highlights

			The Washington Area Housing Partnership recognizes that there are too few programs to promote the development of affordable housing.
			The Partnership suggests expedited permitting as an effective regulatory reform effort that will encourage affordable housing.

3.  Reducing the Cost of New Housing Construction in New York City 2005 Update

Location(s):	New York	New York City

Highlights

			The authors say that the development process is long and costly.
			They urge expedited disposition of vacant land, tracking performance of employees, and creating a uniform set of rulings on topics under the control of the Department of Buildings.

4.  Memorandum of Understanding (Columbus, Ohio)

Location(s):	Ohio	Columbus

Highlights

			Columbus, Ohio realized that delays in the permitting process increased the cost of developing housing.
			The City and the development community developed an agreement in which both sides made specific commitments to reduce the time to process development applications.

5.  If We Fix It, They Will Come

Location(s):	Pennsylvania	Philadelphia Metropolitan Area

Highlights

			The permitting process in Philadelphia is unwieldy and time consuming, and costly.
			The report recommends implementing an internet based "Permit Wizard" where an accurate statement of zoning restrictions, required permits and documentation to build on a specific parcel can be obtained.

6.  City of Bend, Affordable Housing Task Force Report to the Community

Location(s):	Oregon	Bend

Highlights

			The Bend, Oregon task force recognizes that processing delays increase the cost of producing housing.
			The task force recommends pre-approving certain unused public land for affordable housing and homeless/special needs shelters.

7.  City of Dallas Mayor's Task Force on Affordable Workforce Housing

Location(s):	Texas
	Texas	Dallas

Highlights

			A poorly functioning development review process increases the cost of all types of development.
			Dallas should publish standard timelines and develop a workflow tracking tool.

8.  Creating a Statewide One-Stop Electronic Permitting System for the Construction Industry

Location(s):	Oregon

Highlights

			Due to a lack of a standardized statewide permitting process, Oregon struggles with an expensive process of building and remodeling.
			Oregon is creating a statewide electronic permitting system that processes applications through a single Internet portal.

9.  City of Fort Wayne Housing Strategy Recommendations

Location(s):	Indiana	Fort Wayne

Highlights

			There is implicit recognition that the City permitting system is not satisfactory.
			The Fort Wayne Housing Strategy suggests taking a customer satisfaction survey of the permit office.

10.  Affordable Housing: Barriers and Solutions for Maine

Location(s):	Maine

Highlights

			Maine has identified referenda that overturn planning board decisions and unpredictable and lengthy review processes as practices that increase housing costs.
			The committee suggests that the state prohibit the use of municipal referendums from overturning local planning board decisions.