Durham's City Council and Planning Commission clashed over whether zoning can mandate denser housing and affordable units, with legal risks constraining mandatory affordable housing requirements.
Forever Home initiative targeting 1,000 affordable units by 2028 is 2,413 units short of goal despite $95 million city funding and $160 million total investment, hampered by staffing limits and rising construction costs.
City Attorney warned that mandatory affordable housing requirements tied to rezoning approvals could face legal challenges and Assembly scrutiny, constraining the Council's ability to use zoning as leverage.
Planning and City Council clashed over whether zoning can force denser, mixed-income neighborhoods, with Council members arguing market forces and developer financing override regulatory mandates.