Bringing Together
Foresight. And Insight.

Excellent Salon Rethinking Zoning Codes and Procedures to Support Housing Affordability & Photos

February 27, 2025

Member profile picture

Susannah Bergmann

President

Baltimore Chapter

More about member

Rethinking Traditional Zoning Codes and Procedures to Support Housing Affordability
February 25, 4 p.m.

Home of Kevin Kelehan in Columbia, MD
Discussion Leaders: Kevin Kelehan & Thomas Coale

Thank you to Tom Coale and Kevin Kelehan for an excellent LAI Baltimore Salon this week. Attendees enjoyed an engaging conversation on Rethinking Zoning Codes and Procedures to Support Housing Affordability.  

Since the wholesale adoption of Euclidean zoning codes almost a century ago, the rise of automobile-influenced suburban development coupled with the decrease or disappearance of affordable mass transit alternatives and an ever-increasingly complex and lengthy permitting process have de-emphasized alternative, more affordable housing alternatives. This session will look at current “best practices” that reexamine parking and other bulk requirements and streamline the multiple and often expensive permitting/entitlement processes, with the aim of fostering more affordable housing and, at the same time, accommodating or at least mitigating pushback from Adequate Public Facilities advocates. In addition to his lifelong practice assisting developers of affordable and market-rate multifamily housing, Kevin spent 8 years as a Howard County Housing Commissioner (4 as Chair) and also chaired the Howard County Executive’s Affordable Housing Task Force. Tom has practiced as a zoning/permitting specialist and has advised numerous clients on both permitting and housing affordability.  He is this year’s recipient of the Maryland Affordable Housing Association’s “Housing Advocate of the Year” award. 

Our Newsworthy content is distributed to the global membership and published within LAI´s social-media network