Building Public-Private Partnerships to Increase the Potential for Affordable Housing Provision in New Urbanist Developments

Author: Jennifer E. Steffel-Johnson

Dissertation School: University of Colorado at Denver

Abstract:

New Urbanism's claims of providing a better way of life for residents, overcoming the malaise of the suburbs, and putting the brakes on urban sprawl have become issues of debate among academics, and marketing ploys among developers.

Many theories of New Urbanist development have a great deal of promise. Its higher density neighborhoods can reduce sprawl and traffic; its human-scaled streetscapes are welcoming; its innovative zoning and mixed-use development makes both practical and financial sense; and the inclusion of townhomes and small apartments in New Urbanist plans can support a mixed-income population.

However, too often, these developments do not achieve all that they are capable of. Their architectural merit, contribution to suburban sprawl, and "social engineering" have been called into question. The most significant shortcoming of New Urbanist development, however, is the missed opportunity to provide a significant source of high-quality affordable housing. There are few other suburban settings in which affordable rental units can be seamlessly incorporated into a community of single-family houses, cars could be unnecessary, and mixed-income families can live as neighbors.

Yet, for many reasons, affordable housing remains at best only a small part of most New Urbanist developments. However, there exists a repertoire of methods, such as tax credits, zoning bonuses, and subsidies, to increase the amount of affordable housing created by developers. Further, there are excellent examples of public-private partnerships that have successfully produced affordable housing. How can New Urbanist communities be developed to include a larger affordable housing component?

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