Recommendations
1. Promote Housing Affordabilty
Redefine the Purpose of Evanston's Zoning Code
The zoning code should be revamped to facilitate a rapid and substantial increase in affordable housing throughout the community. Most of the sections in Chapter 8, Residential Districts, include a Purpose Statement like this one for the R2 district:
"The R2 single-family residential district is intended to provide for small lot single-family development at a relatively low density and to preserve the present physical character of that area while providing for initial development."
The City should consider the following recommended changes to the Purpose Statements for all zoning districts:
Throughout the zoning code, the City should eliminate the terms “character” and “appropriate” when used in relation to standards for decision-making, or provide the term with a specific definition with little room for subjective interpretation. These terms can be interpreted by different people in different ways and have the potential to be used to block decisions that support groups at risk.
"The R2 single-family residential district is intended to provide for small lot single-family development at a relatively low density and to preserve the present physical character of that area while providing for initial development."
The City should consider the following recommended changes to the Purpose Statements for all zoning districts:
- Refrain from excluding housing types from any zoning district and, instead, define what the majority housing type is intended to be.
- Consider setting goals for affordable housing levels in each zoning district.
Throughout the zoning code, the City should eliminate the terms “character” and “appropriate” when used in relation to standards for decision-making, or provide the term with a specific definition with little room for subjective interpretation. These terms can be interpreted by different people in different ways and have the potential to be used to block decisions that support groups at risk.
Chapter 6-1, Title, Purpose, and Intent of the City Code, should be revised to:
- Prioritize establishing equity, creating affordable housing, and creating housing choice for people in groups at risk across all wards in Evanston
- Reflect a re-evaluation of the benefits of density and walkability by eliminating vague prohibitions against congestion and overcrowding
Allow for Greater Flexibility In Building Height, Lot Sizes, and Minor Zoning Variations
Currently, Evanston’s Zoning Code includes many development standards that mandate inefficient use of land and that serve as barriers to creating affordability. The City should overhaul development standards to promote affordability and allow a variety of building types throughout Evanston. Lot size and yard requirements should be modified to allow for greater density.
In Chapter 6-8-1-10, Planned Developments in Residential Districts:
- Reevaluate lot area minimums, minimum ground floor areas, and the prohibition against increases in the number of dwelling units for planned developments for R-1 – R-3. New best practices in equitable zoning allow for more flexibility in building affordable housing
- Modify lot size and yard requirements to allow for greater density
2. Encourage Housing Abundance
Permit Multi-Family Housing and Multi-Use Buildings in All Residential Zones
The Zoning Code currently focuses on keeping its single and two-family zones protected, which makes the cost of housing in those zones (R1 through R3) prohibitively expense for almost all households at risk of unstable housing. This focus also preserves segregation and perpetuates racial and socio-economic inequities by excluding those who cannot afford any of the current housing in these districts.
We recommend allowing more flexibility in the types of housing allowed in the R1 through R3 districts. Throughout the country, municipalities are allowing development of duplexes, 3- and 4-flats, and even small apartment and courtyard buildings with 6 or more units in what used to be single-family-only districts.
We recommend allowing more flexibility in the types of housing allowed in the R1 through R3 districts. Throughout the country, municipalities are allowing development of duplexes, 3- and 4-flats, and even small apartment and courtyard buildings with 6 or more units in what used to be single-family-only districts.
Update all standards that provide guidance for decision-makers throughout the Zoning Code to require review by the decision-making body of the potential impact of their decisions on equity, affordability, and housing choice for groups at risk. This recommendation applies to at least the following pieces of the Zoning Code:
- 6-3-4-5, Standard for Amendments
- 6-3-5-10, Standards for Special Uses
- 6-3-6-9, Standards for Planned Developments
- 6-3-7-10, Standards for Unique Uses
Increase Access to Transit and Other Resources
The zoning code should allow more flexibility in the types of land use permitted in the R1 through R3 districts. By allowing corner stores and other amenities, the City could improve walkability throughout and take steps towards accommodating households who would like to “go green” by reducing and/or eliminating use of automobiles. Such measures would also support groups at risk who cannot afford their own cars.
Chapter 9, 6-9-4-1, Purpose Statement, and Chapter 11, 6-11-5-1, Purpose Statement of the zoning code should include more mixed dwelling housing options.
6-3-6-5, Site Development Allowances, should include additional allowances for more housing abundance along transit lines.
6-3-6-5, Site Development Allowances, should include additional allowances for more housing abundance along transit lines.
Expand Options for Sharing Housing
All limitations on who can be included in a household be eliminated from the zoning code and that occupancy rules be revised to pertain only to physical safety based on the number of people in a unit in relation to the size of that unit.
Simplify, consolidate, and provide more flexibility in the ordinances related to home-sharing, group homes, rooming houses, and lodging establishments so that new ways of housing people can be implemented.
Allow additional flexibility to create new affordability through non-traditional housing formats such as SROs, shelters, co-housing, transitional housing, tiny homes, factory-built homes, and modular homes, and others.
Simplify, consolidate, and provide more flexibility in the ordinances related to home-sharing, group homes, rooming houses, and lodging establishments so that new ways of housing people can be implemented.
Allow additional flexibility to create new affordability through non-traditional housing formats such as SROs, shelters, co-housing, transitional housing, tiny homes, factory-built homes, and modular homes, and others.
Change 6-4-1-14, Occupancy of Dwelling Units, in the zoning code to establish a different way to limit the number of people living in a defined amount of space that has nothing to do with the relationships among those people.
Throughout the zoning code, and starting with 6-18-3, Definitions, remove the definition of “family” and find a different way to manage occupancy limits.
In the City code’s Housing Regulations, revise 5-2, Shared Housing Provider, to ensure that limits on shared housing (including shelter) are not inequitably or unreasonably limiting people from sharing housing to reduce costs and attain an affordable housing solution.
Throughout the zoning code, and starting with 6-18-3, Definitions, remove the definition of “family” and find a different way to manage occupancy limits.
In the City code’s Housing Regulations, revise 5-2, Shared Housing Provider, to ensure that limits on shared housing (including shelter) are not inequitably or unreasonably limiting people from sharing housing to reduce costs and attain an affordable housing solution.
3. Embrace Equity in Zoning
Require Community Representation on Committees, Commissions and Boards
City committees and commissions, particularly those dealing with housing, land use and zoning, do not currently include a proportionate number of members with direct or indirect experience of hardship related to the high costs of housing. The current membership is not reflective of the actual need in the community.
The City should establish standards for membership requirements for both the current Land Use Commission and the Housing and Community Development Committee to include a certain number of board members with lived experience of homelessness or housing instability, or who have served as housing service providers. Training and adequate support for these committees should also be required.
The City should establish standards for membership requirements for both the current Land Use Commission and the Housing and Community Development Committee to include a certain number of board members with lived experience of homelessness or housing instability, or who have served as housing service providers. Training and adequate support for these committees should also be required.
Article III of the Land Use Commission Rules and Procedures should be updated to require that a certain number of Commission members have lived experience of homelessness or housing instability or have served as housing services provider.
Include Renters in All Public Notices
|
The City's distribution list for notifying residents of public hearings includes property owners but not renters, who are more at risk of housing instability than property owners.
The City should notify all residents within the geographical notification limits—not just property-owners, so as to ensure representative input from a range of community members, including those who may be at risk of housing insecurity. |
Update Chapter 3, Section 6-3-8-6, Procedure for Minor Variations, Fence Variations, and Sign Variations, in the zoning code to include renters. Expand public notices to include a wider geographic range. |
Engage Trusted Community Partners and Leaders
|
Community opposition to affordable housing is currently a significant barrier to development of such housing. However, the community members most in need of affordable housing are not equitably engaged in the discussion.
We recommend that the City review Joining Forces’ EZP Report, as well as the American Planning Association’s Equity in Zoning Policy Guide (ADD LINK) and develop a community outreach campaign that will establish new lines of communication with groups at risk. Methods of notification related to land use, housing, and zoning then need to be revamped to make use of these lines of communication . |
RODNEY--I WONDER IF THIS SHOULD GO NEXT TO THE INITIAL RECOMMENDATION? All standards that provide guidance for decision-makers throughout the Zoning Code should require review by the decision-making body of the potential impact of their decisions on equity, affordability, and housing choice for groups at risk. This recommendation applies to at least the following pieces of the Zoning Code:
|
