Detroit City Council has an important opportunity to shape a more transit-friendly, housing-abundant Detroit where more people can live within reach of existing transit service with zoning reform!
The City is proposing to relax zoning requirements that constrain the construction of new housing. The reforms would make it easier to build multi-unit housing – like duplexes and town homes – in areas where those housing types already exist. They’d also reduce the amount of off-street parking that would be required in new development.
You can read a longer summary of the proposal at this link, and dig into the details here.
Compared to zoning changes that other cities around the country have implemented, the City’s proposal is relatively modest. It wouldn’t, for instance, allow the construction of accessory dwelling units in the “R1” areas currently zoned for single-family housing. Yet TRU believes it’s a good step towards building more housing, particularly in areas that already have relatively good access to transit.
If you live in Detroit, please, call your council members and tell them you support the “Let’s Build More Housing, Detroit” ordinance, and that you want them to take action to enact it! And if you don’t, volunteer with our friends at Strong Towns Detroit to learn how you can support the zoning reform. Or get involved with TRU to support transit and transit friendly development throughout Metro Detroit!