Need to Boost Housing Production? Consider Pre-approved Building Plans
Cities around Ohio are struggling to generate enough housing development to keep up with demand. Around the country, pre-approved housing plan programs are being adopted to address this and other housing issues.
The Ohio REALTORS and GOPC are teaming up to learn more about this tool and how it could be used in Ohio. Here’s a bit of what we’ve learned so far.
What are Pre-approved Building Plans?
An ADU in Seattle, Washington, built with pre-approved plans.
Pre-approved infill building plans grant expedited permitting to a set of pre-designed plans that are architecturally-appropriate for a specific community. They are designed to promote new construction by limiting the time and expense associated with the city’s plan review process.
Cities around the country are adopting pre-approved building plans to attract new development to their community and especially to stimulate the development of missing middle housing. The pre-approved building plans help to streamline regulatory processes, promote new housing development in existing neighborhoods, offer more choice in housing types, and reduce some development costs.
Location of American Pre-Approval Programs
Where are Pre-approved Building Plans Being Adopted?
A pre-approved Narrow House in South Bend, Indiana. Image by Michael DiVita via Twitter.
As shown on the map, Pre-approved Building Plan programs are in effect in at least 30 municipalities around the country. The vast majority of programs are on the West Coast but programs also exist in the South, Midwest, and in Texas.
Why Adopt a Pre-approval Program?
On the West Coast and in the South, pre-approved plans are frequently used to promote the development of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). This is the most common use of existing pre-approval programs. These smaller units are often more affordable than larger ones and address shortages of developable sites by incorporating new units onto sites that already having housing.
In the Midwest and modest market contexts, pre-approved plans have been adopted with a focus on promoting infill development and stabilizing mature, built-out neighborhood. These programs are sometimes paired with low-cost, city-owned vacant land to make programs even more appealing to developers and achieve city goals. Because buildable land is typically available in these jurisdictions, pre-approval programs often include a broad range of housing types, including ADUs, cottage homes, duplexes, single family homes, live/work spaces, and apartment buildings suitable to a range of lot sizes and neighborhood contexts.
Many jurisdictions, regardless of regional or market context, use pre-approval programs to add new, smaller housing units to their supply in order to provide units suited to a range of household types, particularly older residents who want to age in place.