Housing

League of Women Voters^®
of San Jose/Santa Clara

LWV SJSC may advocate using this position

Housing Goals and Objectives

Support the inherent right of every person in the United States to enjoy equality of opportunity for adequate housing.
1. Support local ordinances to ban housing discrimination.
2. Support educational efforts to inform landlords and tenants of their rights and responsibilities. Legal resources for landlords and tenants should be clear and easily enforceable.
3. Support programs to provide adequate housing for low and moderate income families. Such programs should include:

A. Freedom of choice as to location of their homes.

B. Developments scattered throughout the community, including utilization of empty lots within our cities.

C. Density in direct ratio to available and potentially available services.

D. Open spaces and architectural consistency with adjacent areas to encourage the best aesthetice values.

E. Provision for maintenance of the property included in the costs to the low-income families, if desired or necessary.

4. Support flexibility in zoning and building codes to achieve these goals. Codes should include:

A. Allowance for economic mix.

B. Required fixed percentage of low income housing to be built into all new subdivisions or multiple planned units with low income housing mixed throughout each development.

C. Flexibility allowing use of innovative designs and materials for construction.

5. Support financial aid programs from one or all levels of government. Tax incentives should be given to private builders who meet the above criteria and requirements.
Adopted: 1969 Updated: 1979, 1987

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