City Council is preparing to initiate a broad review and recalibration of the city’s density bonus programs, including DB90, which was introduced last year as a tool to encourage the development of affordable housing through additional entitlements.
The resolution, which is scheduled to be taken up at the June 5 Council meeting, is sponsored by Mayor Kirk Watson and directs city staff to explore structural changes to the bonus programs, which are intended to allow more development entitlements in exchange for various community benefits, like affordable housing. The programs face increasing scrutiny for under-delivering on affordability goals and creating unintended consequences in areas with naturally occurring affordable housing.
Watson acknowledged last week that DB90 has not worked as intended, describing it in a recent message board post as “an unhappy experience.” He said the program has become difficult to use as intended and is increasingly divisive, particularly in cases where existing affordable housing is at risk of being demolished in exchange for new development with limited affordability set-asides…