Action 6: Adopt an Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) District Form

Housing Smart Communities Coordinator

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Action 6: Adopt an Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) District

This action involves identifying a location in the municipality to place an affordable housing overlay (AHO) district and adopting a regulation instituting the AHO district.
1. Did the process for developing the AHO include an effort to locate the AHO in (1) an area with a wide variety of household incomes, (2) an area with existing housing-related infrastructure (e.g., roads, sewer and water infrastructure), (3) near public transit services, and (4) near other essential services for residents (e.g., grocery stores, health care facilities)?
3. Does the municipalities zoning code update include a definition that establishes affordable housing as 30% of a households monthly income including utilities?
2. Does the AHO require that, for qualifying developments, a minimum of 20% of new units for rent and for sale are affordable and meet the criteria in section (a) and (b) below??
a. Of the affordable units available for rent, they shall be affordable to households at 80% AMI
b. Of the affordable units available for sale, they shall be affordable to owner-occupied households at or below 100% AMI. This means the monthly housing payment (which shall include debt service at prevailing mortgage loan interest rates, utilities, condominium or related fees, insurance, real estate taxes, and parking fees, if any) shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the AMI monthly income.
3. Does the AHO policy include a process to expedite the approval process?
4. Does the AHO policy include a density bonus that is offered for developments that include a percentage of affordable units beyond the mandatory 20%?