Check how this works. The city of Charlotte wants to tax some residents, take the money and hand it to developers, who will then build “low income housing” to the city’s specifications.
Even better, developers who agree to build what the city wants would get a “density bonus” — ie be permitted to stress taxpayer provided public services to a greater extent than would otherwise be the case. This is being spun as a voluntary approach to getting what city officials want.
In fact, check out how city councilman David Howard wraps his head around the issue:
He is against inclusionary zoning.
“Before we need to go into anything mandatory, we need to explore other options,” Howard said. “I’m a carrot guy, not a stick guy.”
Dave, buddy. The stick is taxing money away from one group and giving it to another. The club is burdening some neighborhoods with traffic congestion and higher service needs just because city officials think it is a good idea. The horror is the idea that development can and should be micromanaged by planners and politically connected developers.
There is not a carrot any where to be found.
Update: Recall that in March the courts ruled that the public need not be notified of any “density bonuses” in subdivision plans.
