HOUSING
With the surge of redevelopment in ANC6D, affordable housing and displacement are real concerns for almost 20% of our residents. In line with its mission, CBCC has developed several principles for redevelopment that it will use to guide its advocacy in the area of housing, retail, and mixed development as follows:
1. HOUSING MIX
The number, size, purchase/rental ratio, and price of units should maintain demographic diversity. This will reflect varying household size and composition, income, age, racial and ethnic diversity. In addition, there should be a diversity and mix of size and style of structures, including townhouses, low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise structures, in addition to parking spaces (and restrictions).
2. AFFORDABILITY
A proportion of new housing should be within reach of low and moderate income households who would otherwise be priced out through redevelopment and natural gentrification. Income and eligibility rules for “affordable units” should demonstrate how the number and characteristics of current households are likely to be accommodated in proposed units. Rules for duration of affordable units through continued subsidy or resale restrictions should be explicit.
3. RETAIL MIX
The profile and pricing of retail space (e.g., rent/sq. foot or other parameters for selected retail spaces) should serve diverse segments of the residential community and focus on residential versus visitor needs (e.g., hours of operation, parking, restrictions on private rights-of-way). There should be explicit controls over rental pricing to maintain the desired retail mix over time and access, and mechanisms to ensure continued service for local residents.
4. OPEN SPACES & OTHER COMMON SPACES
Increased density and new building designs should maintain public green and open space that has characterized Southwest, to the maximum extent feasible, including considerations of height, shadowing, setbacks, traffic and access controls. Other strategies to maintain or recreate open space, including maintenance and improvement of public parks and other green spaces that impact quality of life for community residents should be considered. As new designs replace open space with private interior spaces, such designs should ensure access for community residents to the maximum extent feasible in order to nurture the mix of diverse segments of the community and facilitate public oversight of use.
5. QUALITY OF LIFE
Redevelopment should at least do no harm and at best improve quality of life for current residents. Quality of life may be improved by new retail, services and entertainment, and new community members. But effects on health, transportation, noise, congestion, access, and other measures of quality of life for current and new residents should all be considered.
6. HISTORIC LEGACY
Preservation or renovation of key structures that represent the history and distinction of Southwest over the last two centuries should be considered explicitly, and undertaken where appropriate and feasible.
Want to learn more? Read our recent testimonies on housing issues facing Near SE/SW here.
