Regulatory Barriers - Nation Call To Action: Reports

Bowling Green, Kentucky: Mayor's Task Force on Regulatory Reform

In December 2006, Bowling Green, Kentucky became the first city in the nation to respond to the National Call to Action for Affordable Housing through Regulatory Reform. By participating, the city committed to work toward identifying the impact of regulatory barriers to affordable housing in Bowling Green, to pursue comprehensive solutions, and to share the results with other communities.

To assist city staff in identifying regulatory barriers, the Mayor called upon several members of the private industry to participate in a task force. The task force�s first step in identifying regulatory barriers was to answer each of the 20 questions in Part A of the Questionnaire for HUD�s Initiative on Removal of Regulatory Barriers.

After completing the 20-point questionnaire, the task force members identified possible regulatory issues that needed additional discussion. These issues were derived from the questionnaire, as well as personal experience and anecdote. Each issue was discussed in detail. At subsequent meetings, staff from the city�s Housing and Community Development Department, the City-County Planning Commission, and the city�s Public Works Department participated in discussions with the task force and helped clarify issues and the related regulations. Task force members then sought solutions that follow each issue as suggested recommendations.