When asked by Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve to give Reno a grade on efforts for housing affordability during a special workshop session Wednesday, housing policy researcher and author of the book The Affordable City Shane Phillips, who said he’s studied hundreds of cities, gave us a passing grade, but maybe not what City Council hoped for.
“Probably a C,” he said, “no one gets an A,” he added, before detailing that “30 plus percent of cities are at F.”
He’s produced a 73-page analysis called “Local Strategies For Improving Housing Affordability” which can be found on the City of Reno website or at link below: https://reno.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=4214&type=2
Phillips primarily called on Reno to focus on infill projects.
This involves the development of vacant or underutilized parcels of land within existing neighborhoods or urban areas to create cheaper, smaller units.
A contentious issue that regularly returns to discussions but was turned down in 2018 is allowing for “granny pods” in backyards, also known by their technical term accessory dwelling units.
Phillips is in favor of these, as well as increasing the density of multi-family housing zones.
He also said a city is in a dangerous place when short term rentals are more lucrative than normal rentals and said regulations are needed to make sure this isn't the case.
Phillips was hired by the City to do this consultancy and advising work, but council members seemed unconvinced by some of his ideas, including Naomi Duerr who said his suggestion to increase density to much higher levels than what we currently have was “not good” for residents.