Housing Recommendations
Unity Council Recommendations
Recommendations
Housing Recommendations
Concern or Issue
Existing zoning ordinance puts older or established neighborhoods at a disadvantage for redevelopment because the ordinance is structured for new construction
Zoning ordinances can be barriers in developing sustainable , equitable communities which include housing that is affordable
There are insufficient resources for the public to learn about home rental , buying and home ownership
There is inadequate housing inventory that is affordable and accessible for all income levels
Arlington neighborhoods do not uniformly represent the diversity of the city ’ s population
Recommendation
Short term
• Establish different standards for infill
Medium term
• Examine existing ordinances to see what barriers or limitations they are placing on developing housing that is affordable
• Look at tools that might facilitate the development of neighborhoods that include housing that is affordable and easily accessible to necessary services
Medium term
• Recommend and support the ISD ’ s , Tarrant County College and UTA include an appropriate amount of financial education at different grade levels to ensure that graduates are prepared to handle the financial responsibility of paying for their housing
• Examine the homebuyer education offered with down payment assistance and other assistance to see if it is sufficient as well as programs available to renters .
• Seek to implement changes where resources are insufficient
Medium term
• Research how to include household debt in the evaluation of housing cost burden
• Use the data in the Housing Needs Analysis and debt burden data ( see above bullet ) to more accurately identify housing needs so investments can be targeted appropriately and evaluated annually
• Reduce barriers to renting through tenant education , credit repairs , access to legal representation and other strategies as well as landlord education and engagement efforts
Long term
• Examine possible reasons behind the current housing map by race and ethnicity
• Use available tools and develop new tools to encourage the location of housing that varies by affordability and type is located throughout the city and has close proximity to needed services
Unity Council Report 131