The Gainesville City Commission recently voted to advance zoning changes that would allow duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes to be built on land currently zoned for single-family homes.
The move makes Gainesville, home of the University of Florida, on the verge of becoming the first community in the state to end single-family zoning. This development could have significant implications for other college towns, particularly in Republican-led states, according to a Bloomberg report.
The commission’s decision has some strong opposition. Dozens of residents in a nearly seven-hour meeting provided public comments, so supporters of zoning changes seem to have tough battles ahead.
Supporters say allowing denser housing to be built in more of the city will boost supply and cut housing costs while fighting racial and economic segregation. But some requirements, such as minimum lot sizes, density limits, and height restrictions, could limit how much new housing would actually be built under the new rules.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
AGC unveils comprehensive plan to revive the construction industry
The Associated General Contractors of America unveiled a new plan today designed to revive the nation’s construction industry. The plan, “Build Now for the Future: A Blueprint for Economic Growth,” is designed to reverse predictions that construction activity will continue to shrink through 2010, crippling broader economic growth.
| Aug 11, 2010
PCL Construction, HITT Contracting among nation's largest commercial building contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 Commercial Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Webcor, Hunt Construction lead the way in mixed-use construction, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 30 Mixed-Use Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Clark Group, Hensel Phelps among nation's largest federal government contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 40 Federal Government Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Report: Fraud levels fall for construction industry, but companies still losing $6.4 million on average
The global construction, engineering and infrastructure industry saw a significant decline in fraud activity with companies losing an average of $6.4 million over the last three years, according to the latest edition of the Kroll Annual Global Fraud Report, released today at the Association of Corporate Counsel’s 2009 Annual Meeting in Boston. This new figure represents less than half of last year’s amount of $14.2 million.