[Summit] Public input requested - City Comprehensive Housing Strategy
Martha Fraenkel
mfraenkel at gmail.com
Tue Jan 5 00:27:51 UTC 2021
In the 1920s, the earliest zoning was adopted as a way to ensure access
to light and air and open space for city dwellers by controlling density.
The problems with it came later. Moneyed people like(d) living where
there is alot of open space and greenery and quiet (who doesn't?), where
all property is likely to be maintained to a certain grand standard, and
zoning was instated to accommodate them. Exclusion by race was a
consequence.
But the more literal and egregious exclusion by race comes elsewhere,
including in language of deeds to properties and in actions of the real
estate community and the banks, such as redlining and deed
restrictions. Take a look at the original deeds to the parcels in
Groton Long Point, in CT: no people of color, Jews, Greeks, Italians
allowed. Even today:
As of thecensus <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census>^[5]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groton_Long_Point#cite_note-GR2-5> of
2000, there were 667 people, 306 households, and 205 families residing
in Groton Long Point. The racial makeup was 95.65%White
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_(U.S._Census)>, 0.15%African
American <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_American_(U.S._Census)>,
0.45%Native American
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_(U.S._Census)>,
0.90%Asian <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_(U.S._Census)>, 0.45%
fromother races
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_(United_States_Census)>, and 2.40%
from two or more races.Hispanic
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanic_(U.S._Census)>orLatino
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latino_(U.S._Census)>of any race were
3.45% of the population.
And in Kenilworth Illinois, a Chicago suburb with population about 2500,
there was not a single african american or Jewish resident when I grew
up nearby in the 60s; by common understanding, the real estate community
would not show them a house and I suspect banks would not loan to
them. This was not zoning; no zoning law was needed to enforce this
discrimination.
We need more affordable housing and I support it. But do understand
that providing it may mean increasing the density of housing in your
neighborhood, resulting in wider, longer and taller buildings.
Martha
On 1/4/2021 2:38 PM, Breslers wrote:
> summit
> so a zoning change would be a NO cost step in the right direction
> well no cost except for lobbying
>
> On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 12:00 PM Ethan Gyles <ethangy at gmail.com
> <mailto:ethangy at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Hi Mrs. B,
>
> I think you're right. And that type of housing would help young
> renters getting started too. One significant roadblock is large
> swaths of the East Side are zoned to not allow multi-family
> construction. Check out the zoning map at the link below, and look
> at how much of the East Side is currently R-1 and R-1A zones
> (which means the only thing allowed is single family houses --
> whereas R-2 means a two-family is allowed, R-3 means three-family,
> and R-4 means four and up (e.g. multifamily, apartment buildings,
> etc.)):
> ftp://ftp.providenceplanning.org/ProvGIS/Map_Gallery/Zoning/Official%20Zoning%20Maps%2018.04.20.pdf
> <ftp://ftp.providenceplanning.org/ProvGIS/Map_Gallery/Zoning/Official%20Zoning%20Maps%2018.04.20.pdf>
>
> Also, a lot of zoning law historically in our country has roots in
> racism. When courts said you can't exclude people from housing by
> race, excluding by housing type was a useful proxy. Recommended
> reading:
> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32191706-the-color-of-law
> <https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32191706-the-color-of-law>
>
> Ethan
>
> On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 11:41 AM Breslers <breslerfamily at gmail.com
> <mailto:breslerfamily at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> We were already forced out of our 20+ years apartment in
> Providence by prices
> and upscaling to benefit from that market
> Wanting to remain in our religious community, we managed to
> find a place in Oak Hill
> under a mile away.
> Our solution was the existence of a SMALL place for sale.
> But even that was a big stretch many folks would not have been
> able to handle.
>
> Although all sorts of creative ideas to help with housing
> costs are welcome
> the simplest solution is to make MUCH more smaller, naturally
> lower cost options available
> We need to build LOTS of both efficiency & 1 bedroom
> apartments & apartment type condos
> and duplexes & townhouse condos 600 -1000 square feet.
> (Building such small homes individually is not so cost
> effective to build or heat.)
> Those choices will also help compete with and lower the prices
> of the larger stuff.
>
> This is especially necessary with a growing demographic of
> older couples & older singles with fixed incomes
> A lot of people in this group, that I know, have completely
> left the state.
> We are losing our living history & wisdom.
>
> Mrs B
>
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 10:59 AM Ethan Gyles <ethangy at gmail.com
> <mailto:ethangy at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Hi neighbors,
>
> The SNA Board will draft a public response for the
> following, which we successfully lobbied for a public
> input deadline extension on. We welcome input from
> neighbors on this - please send to SNAProv at gmail.com
> <mailto:SNAProv at gmail.com>. Please send to us *by 1/13*.
> You're also, of course, welcome and encouraged to directly
> submit individual input, by 1/19.
>
> The SNA Board is acutely aware of the sharply increasing
> housing prices in our neighborhood, while Rhode Island
> incomes have been slower to grow, and how that creates a
> higher and higher barrier to entry to new families and may
> displace others, including renters. Many residents - my
> own family included, actually - would no longer be able to
> afford to become a first-time home buyer in our
> neighborhood. We're eager to participate in a process
> toward fair and equitable solutions.
>
> Best,
> Ethan
>
> /*_City of Providence Charts Bold New Course for
> Affordable Housing_*/
>
> //
>
> /This month, the City of Providence unveiled the City’s
> Anti-Displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy (the
> Strategy) and first-ever City Affordable Housing Bond. As
> COVID-19 amplifies the critical housing needs facing
> Providence residents, the City’s comprehensive housing
> plan builds an actionable 10-year road map for
> policy recommendations, new programs and housing
> investments. Key findings outlined in the plan include:/
>
> //
>
> * /*Providence households are cost-burdened*/
> * /*The City’s older housing stock creates challenges */
> * /*Extremely low-Income households are underserved*/
> * /*Housing choice and type are limited in several areas
> of the City*/
>
> //
>
> /The key findings reflect Providence’s diverse housing
> ecosystem and the varying needs of renters, homeowners,
> landlords, developers, and community members. They helped
> shape the programmatic, policy, and regulatory approaches
> the City will take to advance affordable housing, including:/
>
> //
>
> * /Identifying *new financial resources* to invest in
> Providence’s existing housing stock to *preserve and
> enhance* its affordability and quality./
> * /Building upon *collaborative partnerships* to
> leverage existing housing resources with new funding
> sources in targeted areas to accomplish shared goals
> of *safe and healthy housing, increased prosperity for
> all residents, and improved quality of life citywide.*/
> * /Encouraging *price diversity* in all new housing
> construction through incentive programs that both ease
> the cost development and create safer, affordable
> units in underserved areas./
> * /Implementing *innovative regulatory changes and new
> policies *to allow for creative housing solutions
> including increased homeownership, more robust
> rehabilitation of existing housing, incremental
> density in areas close to transit and job centers and
> reducing displacement of long-term Providence residents./
>
> //
>
> /A full overview of recommended policy and programmatic
> changes, including recommended funding strategies, is
> available in the draft report, *here*
> <http://www.providenceri.gov/planning/comprehensive-housing-strategy/>./
>
> //
>
> //
>
> //
>
> /As the City anticipates the release of the
> Anti-Displacement and Comprehensive Housing Strategy, the
> public is encouraged to review the draft report and
> provide comments over the next 30 days. The City will
> integrate community feedback into the final plan, to be
> released in early 2021. For more information about the
> Strategy—including how to submit feedback—visit the City’s
> website, here
> <http://www.providenceri.gov/planning/comprehensive-housing-strategy/>.
> For more information & to read the full press release,
> please click here
> <https://www.providenceri.gov/city-providence-charts-bold-new-course-affordable-housing/>.
> /
>
> _______________________________________________
> Summit mailing list
> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
> <mailto:Summit at sna.providence.ri.us>
> http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
> <http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us>
> SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
> <http://sna.providence.ri.us/>
>
>
>
> --
> FISHEL BRESLER'S KLEZMER & HASSIDIC MUSIC -
> /funded in part by a Folk Arts Fellowship grant from the RI
> State Council on the Arts/.
> www.LinkedIn.com/in/FishelBresler
> <http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/FishelBresler>
> _______________________________________________
> Summit mailing list
> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us <mailto:Summit at sna.providence.ri.us>
> http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
> <http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us>
> SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
> <http://sna.providence.ri.us/>
>
>
>
> --
> FISHEL BRESLER'S KLEZMER & HASSIDIC MUSIC -
> /funded in part by a Folk Arts Fellowship grant from the RI State
> Council on the Arts/.
> www.LinkedIn.com/in/FishelBresler
> <http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/FishelBresler>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Summit mailing list
> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
> http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
> SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://sna.providence.ri.us/pipermail/summit_sna.providence.ri.us/attachments/20210104/64c750de/attachment.htm>
More information about the Summit
mailing list