MADISON, Wis. — A city-led plan to change a decades-old zoning law in Madison in the name of housing equity is being described by some as well-intended but they’re not convinced it will have the desired effect.
One-third of the city of Madison doesn’t allow more than two unrelated renters to live together, but for owner-occupied homes in the same area, that limit is five. The new proposal would eliminate that distinction and make it the same across the board, at five.
“This really stood out as something in our zoning code that disproportionately affects people of color,” said city zoning administrator Katie Bannon.
She said people of color are more likely to be renters and more likely to be lower-income households. Bannon explained one way people often try to afford to live somewhere that’s expensive like Madison is by splitting the rent.
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Doug Raubal lives in the Regent neighborhood, one of the areas that would be affected by the change should it move forward.
Raubal said while he and others in the neighborhoods closest to campus support the city’s goal for a more equitable Madison, he doesn’t think it should be a one size fits all approach.
“I don’t want to have to a beer party going on next door until midnight,” he said. “The area around campus is unique in the sense that it sees pressures that the rest of the city simply doesn’t see.”
Raubal said he and his community are worried the change in code won’t bring low-income and people of color to their neighborhoods as the city intends but instead will lead to an influx of students moving in and bring along with them noise, litter and poorly maintained properties.
“[City leaders] seem to have some difficultly recognizing that the area around campus and the pressures put on them by student housing are real,” he said. “At best, it will not improve accessibility to housing in those areas, and at worst it would actually make it more expensive.”
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Bannon admits the 1966 zoning law was created to serve that exact purpose, to keep students from taking over, but she’s also convinced enough has changed since then, especially given the number of new apartments targeting students being built downtown.
The zoning proposal is set to be heard by the Plan Commission in mid-February and the Common Council at the end of the month for consideration.
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