Local officials argued Tuesday that the state shouldn’t take away their authority over housing regulations in an attempt to boost residential construction and home ownership.
The level of local control is a key part of a bill endorsed Tuesday by an Indiana House committee that targets housing affordability by limiting local zoning regulations and streamlining approvals for new residential development.
Rep. Doug Miller, the author of House Bill 1001, told the committee that a combination of “unnecessary regulations” driving up costs and insufficient new construction was resulting in too many people unable to buy homes.
Miller’s proposal would prohibit local officials from imposing requirements on exterior design elements of homes unless a city or county adopts an ordinance to opt out of the limitation.
“When we talk about design options, we’re talking about roof pitch, exterior covering materials, window and garage door placement, those types of things. Those all impact cost as we look at housing,” said Miller, R-Elkhart, who has long worked in the home building industry and is a past president of the Indiana Builders Association.
The legislation comes as various studies have found a growing housing affordability gap in the state.
Miller’s bill has the backing of Gov. Mike Braun and is a top priority for House Republicans this legislative session.
Balance of local control
Local regulations targeted by the bill also include minimum lot sizes, front and rear setbacks, height limits stricter than 60 feet and restrictions on construction of accessory dwellings, sometimes known as “in-law suites.”
Kevin Baity, the town manager for the southern Indiana community of Clarksville, told committee members that another restriction on requiring multiple parking spaces for new dwellings could increase vehicles parked on narrow streets, making travel difficult for fire trucks and sanitation vehicles.
“Dictating lower development standards should not be a decision of the state,” Baity said. “Local governments are the boots on the ground and know firsthand how their residents want their community to develop and grow. Local zoning already takes into consideration various housing options, including affordability and character.”
Rep. Blake Johnson, D-Indianapolis, raised questions about the balance between affordability and the long-term quality of construction before the House Local Government Committee voted 7-3 in favor of the bill. It now goes to the full House for action.
Impact of affordability concerns
Business organizations have cited a lack of affordable housing options as a hurdle companies face in hiring new workers.
Camille Blunt, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s vice president of government affairs, said the organization supports the bill as reducing unnecessary regulations and “allowing a broader mix of housing types.”
“These reforms help lower development costs, increase housing supply and improve predictability for private investment, all of which support a stronger workforce pipeline,” Blunt said. “From an employer perspective, housing policy is workforce policy. When communities can grow housing supply efficiently, businesses are better positioned to grow jobs, wages and opportunity.”
Habitat for Humanity of Indiana State Director Gina Leckron spoke in favor of the proposal, saying that some local regulations contribute to pricing some of the lower-income families the group serves out of the housing market.
“We have folks who work in warehouses, people who are managers of restaurants and other service industry jobs,” Leckron told the committee. “We believe we need to start building homes for the workforce that we have. So many people who live in your communities cannot afford a home.”
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