You'd probably need to give that more FAR than the current bonus allows too but I'd be curious to hear from a builder or architect on that

At least on paper, the "neighborhood character" impact would be minimal since the lot is already one that has historically been home to multifamily

One solution to this problem that I've thought about would be allowing one extra unit on a lot with a historic duplex. I.e. if there's a duplex there, you can build a second duplex on the lot (one unit more than HOME 1 allows). Basically scaling the preservation bonus instead of capping it

The problem (or maybe I should say the limitation) with the preservation bonus as it currently exists is that the extra FAR can make preservation pencil when you're saving a historic SFH and building 2 new units, but it's much harder to pencil if you're saving a duplex + building 1 new SFH or ADU

I think some of this does speak to the length of the timelines and also less awareness among the smaller scale builders and contractors who build these kind of projects here.

i.e. there's still projects coming to HLC where the builder got financing/began the process *before* HOME 1 passed

Absolutely, I don't think the solution here is landmarking buildings willy-nilly that don't otherwise meet criteria

My point is just that that's the tool that's available on HLC beyond delaying a project, and in case where the delay clock has run out already, the options are demo or landmark

I've been thinking this. D+13 swing with midterm level turnout is way more significant than a D+20 swing with half of that. Dems seem to have won over thousands of voters on persuasion in TN-07.

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true

who is them

It's so sad how much of a nightmare LA governance is at every level because on paper it has the bones to be one of the greatest cities in the world

At least that's an easier problem to solve in the future but jesus

The preservation bonus is also limited in its efficacy since it doesn't give extra impervious cover, just extra FAR. Of course, not requiring on-site parking helps, but there's many lots where the existing duplex (and existing parking) limits what you can do with the preservation bonus because of it

Owner-opposed landmarking requires a 2/3 majority of both HLC and of council.

The preservation bonus in HOME has definitely saved a lot of historic SFH while still allowing development (very good!), but the carrot offered by the preservation bonus is much less compelling to save a duplex.

Maybe? HLC can't deny a demo permit, only delay for a couple months to try and open a dialogue with the developer.

Alternatively, HLC can begin the historic landmarking process, but that is time-consuming and has a fiscal impact, so it needs to clear a pretty high bar.

worse still, there's a few older streetcar suburb neighborhoods in Austin that regularly see historic and more affordable duplexes or triplexes demoed and replaced with 1 SFH. Recent reforms here have made that less of an issue than it was but it's still something that comes up frustratingly often!

+ in many cases, leaving zoning rules in place and allowing new build SFH to replace older affordable SFH actually *does* meaningfully increase rents since it just drives up values with no increase in supply

ro khanna cycle dot jpeg