A step towards affordable housing

By The Coffee Shops™. 

Zoning and permitting reforms may help reduce regulatory barriers to affordable homebuilding. 

*Editor’s Note: Since this article was written, the conversation around housing affordability has continued to gain momentum. A recent industry announcement from the American Building Materials Alliance (ABMA), supported by more than 200 organizations, renewed the call to reduce unnecessary regulations that increase housing costs and limit supply. Read the announcement here. The Polymeric Exterior Products Association (PEPA) has long advocated for eliminating costly, aesthetic-based material restrictions that reduce consumer choice without improving safety or performance. The post below explores how zoning and permitting reforms can help make housing more affordable. 

Affordable housing has been a pressing issue for decades, and it’s a rarity that does not seem to be changing in availability anytime soon. As Alex Fernandez, the Polymeric Exterior Products Association (PEPA)’s vice president of government affairs and advocacy, put it simply, “Interest rates are still very high. Affordable housing stock remains low.” 

But there are a few paths for the industry to take towards a more affordable future. One is advocating for the reform of homebuilding regulations. How do regulation reforms relate to affordable housing? Well, there are regulations in municipalities that limit material options for homeowners, not based on safety or efficiency, but rather on aesthetic opinions. As explained in a previous PEPA article: 

Many areas have something called a “home rule.” The theory behind a home rule is that local government (mayors and councils) are in the best position to determine what a locality needs or wants. The issue is that local governments have taken this concept and stretched it beyond reason and practicality. Local governments in these states want to circumvent their building code and dictate to individuals what color their house must be, the size of their living room, the direction their garage faces and more under the guise of “zoning.” 

This aesthetic-based and opinion-focused approach is something that PEPA has been fighting against for over three decades now. And there have been solid wins. In eight different states, they have been able to eliminate local bans on vinyl siding and other polymeric exteriors so that homeowners can, in Alex’s words, "build safe, attractive homes without being forced to pay more for building materials consumers may not necessarily want.”And more states are already looking to reevaluate their homebuilding regulations. Gabe Maser, executive vice president of innovation and growth at the International Code Council (ICC), recently released a paper that showcased how different municipalities are addressing regulatory costs related to the shortage of between 4 million and 7 million homes. It highlighted what four regions are working on:  

• San Antonio, Texas, has centralized applications, plan reviews, fee payments, inspections and certificate issuance through an online portal.  
• Fairfax County, Virginia, has implemented partial permitting and expedited temporary occupancy certificates. 
• Raleigh, North Carolina, has adopted zoning reforms allowing duplexes, accessory dwelling units, townhomes and modular housing in areas previously limited to single-family homes. 
• Seattle, Washington, is exploring comparable changes, particularly for land currently zoned for detached single-family housing. 

While each approach is different, the throughline is that each of these municipalities recognizes the importance of reconsidering regulations that affect construction timelines and housing costs in pursuit of affordable housing. And it is through this type of reflection that we will actually start solving the nationwide housing crisis.  

Alex shared, "These local agencies are willing to change the status quo for zoning and permitting. And that means they are much more likely to be open to eliminating bans on more affordable materials – especially materials like vinyl siding that ticks all the other boxes like design, sustainability, fire safety and durability.” 

Learn more about addressing costly municipal bans, zoning and permitting policies by contacting Alex Fernandez at afernandez@polymericexteriors.org.