Committee approves housing ordinance

The Planning and Development Committee tonight approved an inclusionary housing ordinance after a lengthy debate that delayed the start of the full City Council meeting for nearly an hour.

The measure as approved by the committee would require developers of projects with 25 or more units to sell 10 percent of the units at affordable prices, or contribute $50,000 for each affordable unit not built on site to the city's affordable housing fund.

The measure eliminates a requirement in earlier drafts of the ordinance that would require at least half of the affordable units to be provided on site.

The ordinance was approved on a 5-4 vote.

Aldermen who voted against the measure said there were still too many unresolved issues in the ordinance to adopt it tonight. Those who favored it said it was important for the council to act on the measure before the scheduled referendum vote Nov. 7 on raising the real estate transfer tax 20 percent to fund affordable housing.

The ordinance is on the full council agenda for possible action tonight.

Aldermen Wollin, Jean-Baptiste, Holmes, Moran and Hansen voted for the ordinance in committee. Aldermen Wynne, Bernstein, Tisdahl and Rainey voted against it.