Regulatory Barriers - Nation Call To Action: Reports

The City of Morristown has begun a multi-year program entitled the Morristown Affordable Housing Initiative (MAHI) as part of its commitment to the NCA. The objective of the initiative is to identify and mitigate local regulatory barriers that increase the cost or prevent the construction of affordable housing. Common regulatory barriers include zoning and subdivision regulation mandating the installation of sidewalks, and underground utilities in new subdivisions for middle and low income markets.

With financial help from the local Knoxville HUD field office, city officials are addressing the residential permitting process and code enforcement programs. This summer, the city plans to be online with a new permit and project-tracking website that will allow developers to request permits, schedule inspections, and check progress on particular development sites without having to travel to city hall. The web-based permitting program will aid in improving timely communications between city departments by eliminating the need for meetings; by facilitating scheduling between developers and inspectors; and by providing a one-time, one-stop application for building permits ultimately saving time and money to reduce the overall costs of building new affordable homes.

This second phase of the MAHI program is focused on improving the quality of and access to affordable housing. The goal of the program is to improve the local housing stock by making homes more durable, energy efficient, safe and accessible. This phase will also help eliminate and improve deteriorated housing and enhance the city�s ability to monitor and enforce adherence to codes and fair housing practices.

Now that the MAHI is being implemented, the mayor�s task force is shifting focus toward identifying specific locations for workforce housing developments, evaluating financial incentive programs for affordable housing developers, and evaluating development standards and codes that impede workforce housing.

For more information please contact the City of Morristown Department of Community Development and Planning at
(423) 581-0100.