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LATEST ON RBC
Seattle Voters Approve Public
Development Authority
On February 24, 2023, Seattle voters
approved Initiative No. 135, which
established a public development authority
to develop and manage social housing,
defined as mixed-income, publicly owned
housing removed from market speculation. The
initiative mandates exclusive ownership by
the authority, mixed-income occupancy, green
building standards, and minimal application
barriers, with rents capped at 30 percent of
household income. The authority's board must
include resident representation, and each
housing development must have a
residents’
council to engage with property management
and participate in budget and renovation
decisions.
Connecticut Pursues Fair Share
Affordable Housing
On
June 29, 2023, Connecticut's governor signed
Substitute S.B. 998, which introduces fair
share allocations for affordable housing,
strengthens tenant protections, and offers
incentives for affordable housing
development. The bill requires a methodology
to distribute affordable housing needs among
municipalities, prohibits discrimination
based on sexual orientation, limits
application and late fees, and establishes
tax credits and exemptions for workforce
housing investments.
Atlanta Establishes A Public
Development Corporation
On
July 23, 2023, the Atlanta Housing Authority
established the Atlanta Urban Development
Corporation (UDC) to fund and facilitate the
construction of 20,000 affordable housing
units by 2030 on publicly owned land. As a
subsidiary of the housing authority, UDC
will create mixed-income communities through
public-private partnerships, manage
community engagement, and expedite
permitting while retaining majority interest
in projects. UDC has the authority to issue
bonds to raise funds for development.
The Center for Community Progress
Reports on Proactive Code
Enforcement
A
2024 Center for Community Progress report
proposes a proactive and data-driven
approach to code enforcement to identify and
address problem properties before they
become nuisances instead of relying on
complaints and penalties. In the new
approach, the city provides property owners
with resources and incentives for repairs
and eviction prevention. Additional
proactive actions recommended in the report
include licensing and inspection programs
that incentivize responsible ownership and
protections for tenants to avoid
displacement during repairs.
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