Gauthier introduced the new housing legislation at the January 30th session of City Council. Intended to speed up the process for affordable housing developments, the legislation aims to do the following:
Compel the Department of Licenses and Inspection to review zoning permit applications for affordable housing projects on an expedited timeline of five business days.
Compel the Department of Licenses and Inspection to review building permit applications for affordable housing projects on an expedited timeline of ten business days. L+I currently offers expedited review for some affordable housing projects within ten business days, but only when requested by a developer and “to the extent capacity permits.” This bill ensures affordable housing receives priority review every time.
Enable affordable housing projects that require Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) approval to receive an accelerated hearing date for no additional fee.
Authorize the ZBA to make affordable housing commitments by developers a mandatory condition of their approval. Expand the definition of “Affordable Housing Project” to capture all projects that receive government financing or land or are protected via deed restricted or regulatory agreement.
Companion legislation also would make it easier for homeowners to turn extra space into bonus units: Allow bonus units “by right” in existing single-family homes in the abovementioned Council Districts.
Allow an applicant to bypass ZBA review if their proposed bonus unit does not materially change the footprint of the existing structure.
Keep the existing requirement that bonus units require a deed restriction confirming that the homeowner must live in the property.
Remove restrictions related to minimum and maximum unit size. Permit bonus units in attached, detached, and semi-detached housing.
This interview is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. The William Penn Foundation provides lead support for Every Voice, Every Vote in 2024 and 2025 with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy and Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation, Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, and Philadelphia Health Partnership. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.
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