Zoning reforms and an equity assessment designed to expand access to affordable housing.
City: Alexandria, VA
Purpose: To change city zoning regulations to increase access to affordable housing, with an emphasis on redressing historical discriminatory housing practices.
Lead Stakeholders: Government, Community
Process: In 2019, Alexandria’s City Council directed staff to create a plan for zoning changes that would create more affordable housing. The resulting Zoning for Housing Plan has been implemented in phases since its creation in 2021.
Phase 1 included an Accessory Dwelling Units Policy, Auxiliary Dwellings Policy, and a Co-Living Policy. Phase 2, approved in 2023, included eliminating density caps on residential areas, expanding the number of housing units permitted in zones, and removing and reducing requirements for lot and yard space across multiple dwelling types. Housing for All, created alongside Zoning for Housing, created resources to understand historically discriminatory housing practices and their continued impact today. These included a timeline of African American Housing History and a history of Restrictive Covenants and Land Use Zoning.
Outcomes:
- Removed barriers to construction of new units and removed limitations on the number of people who can reside in existing units.
- Improved housing equity by removing inconsistent regulations that afforded benefits to only certain areas.
View or download PDF of the Zoning for Housing, Housing for All case study.
