Infill: A YIMBY Podcast
How Local Zoning Codes Shape Our World: A Conversation with Sara Bronin
Apr 8, 2025
Sara Bronin, an accomplished architect, attorney, and author of 'Key to the City,' joins to unravel the complexities of local zoning codes. They discuss how these codes impact housing affordability, environmental sustainability, and even nightlife. Bronin highlights the power of the National Zoning Atlas in transforming community planning, and the hidden effects of zoning on food systems and segregation. Their conversation also emphasizes the need for more equitable zoning practices to create abundant housing and healthier communities.
46:10
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Quick takeaways
- Zoning codes significantly influence housing accessibility and affordability, often favoring single-family units and limiting multifamily options in various communities.
- The impact of zoning extends beyond housing, affecting food security and local sustainability by regulating land use for agriculture and urban farming initiatives.
Deep dives
The National Zoning Atlas as a Tool for Change
The National Zoning Atlas aims to provide a comprehensive, interactive map revealing zoning regulations across various jurisdictions in the United States. By digitizing and analyzing thousands of pages of zoning codes, it exposes how most land is zoned for single-family housing while only a small percentage allows for multifamily units. For instance, in Connecticut, research showed that just 2% of land permitted multifamily housing, revealing potential inequities in zoning practices that do not consider broader state or regional needs. This data serves as a catalyst for rethinking how zoning codes are structured and who governs them, challenging the traditional local governance model which may not reflect wider community interests.
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