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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHEA 1001 Public Input 1Karl G. King 1106 Burns Street South Bend, IN 46617 July 21, 2026 Mr. Tim Staub Zoning Specialist Department of Community Investment City of South Bend 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 500 South Bend, Indiana 46601 Filed in Clerk's Office Jul 24, 2026 Bianca Tirado City Clerk, South Bend, IN RE: Recommendations Regarding House Enrolled Act 1001 (2026) Implementation Dear Tim, Thank you for inviting me to the City's Public Hearing on Increasing Housing Development on Monday, July 27, 2026. I cannot attend the meeting because I will be out of town and, therefore, I am writing to provide recommendations that you can add to the record. My understanding is that House Enrolled Act 1001 (2026) requires all Indiana cities to conduct a public hearing and review their Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) by January 1, 2027, and that South Bend's Department of Community Investment has specified nine areas of local regulation it wants to evaluate for amendment. I have thoroughly reviewed HEA 1001 and am submitting the following recommendations regarding the actions the City of South Bend should take to effectively respond to requirements in the nine areas specified in your email message of July 17. My perspective and recommendations are directly informed by my public service and planning experience within our community, including: • Two terms as the 4th District Member of the South Bend Common Council, • Two terms as a member of the South Bend Redevelopment Commission, • Member of the St. Joseph County Area Plan Commission for 16 years, and • Co-founder and Board member for 26 years of Northeast Neighborhood Revitalization Organization, Inc. Given my history with South Bend's land use, municipal budgeting, redevelopment strategies, and regulatory frameworks, I respectfully offer the recommendations set forth below to help ensure the City remains compliant, proactive, and aligned with the best interests of our community. 1. Higher -Density Housing in Single -Family Districts HEA 1001 directs local units to consider "providing for higher density development of duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes in areas designated for single family homes." Recommended Actions: • Amend the UDO to allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes by right in traditional single-family zones. • Pair increased density with design standards that maintain neighborhood character while enabling additional units. 2. Accessory Dwelling Units, Manufactured Housing, and Modular Housing HEA 1001 requires review of "constructing other housing types including accessory dwelling units and manufactured and modular housing." Recommended Actions: • Adopt a citywide ADU ordinance permitting internal, attached, and detached ADUs by right. • Develop pre -approved ADU plans to reduce permitting time and cost. • I have no recommendation regarding removal of barriers to manufactured and modular homes where compliant with state building codes because I object to HEA 1001's requiring this. 3. Adaptive Reuse of Commercial Buildings for Residential Use HEA 1001 calls for enabling "adaptive reuse of commercial buildings for residential use". Recommended Actions: • Permit multifamily conversions by right in underutilized commercial corridors. • Reduce parking, setback, and lot -coverage requirements for adaptive reuse projects. 4. Increased Floor Area Ratio in Multifamily Zones HEA 1001 requires review of "increasing the allowable floor area ratio in multifamily housing areas." Recommended Actions: • Increase Floor Area Ratio limits to support financially feasible infill development. • Allow height or Floor Area Ratio bonuses for projects that include affordable units. 5. Waiving or Eliminating Regulations Related to Development Standards HEA 1001 lists specific development standards that cities must evaluate for removal or reduction, including garage size and placement, roof pitch, minimum lot size, setbacks, off-street parking, design standards restricting code -compliant materials, and height limits. Recommended Actions: • Keep the City's present provisions regarding garage size and placement, • Reduce minimum lot sizes to enable small -lot infill. • Lower or eliminate parking minimums. • Increase height limits modestly to allow additional stories in multifamily districts. • I favor steeper roof pitches because they are a feature of most traditional architectural styles. Although I consider a flat roof to be acceptable when it is a feature of an established architectural style (e.g. Italianate), I am against allowing low -slope roofs to reduce construction costs. 6. Reviewing Impact Fee Zones HEA 1001 requires "reviewing impact fee zones with zone advisory committee for improvements". Recommended Actions: • I have no recommendation to offer regarding this provision. 7. Streamlining or Shortening the Permitting Processes and Timelines HEA 1001 mandates "streamlining or shortening the permitting processes and timelines...includingthrough one -stop and parallel process permitting by fifteen (15) days or more." Recommended Actions: • Allow parallel reviews (planning, engineering, building) rather than sequential. • Implement a one -stop digital permitting portal on the City's website. 8. Property Tax Abatements to Enable Housing HEA 1001 directs cities to consider "using property tax abatements to enable higher density and mixed income communities." Recommended Actions: • Expand tax abatement eligibility for multifamily and mixed -income projects. • Prioritize abatements for developments including units affordable at <_80% AMI. • Pair abatements with commitments to long-term affordability. That is, the commitments should: o place limitations on the resale of the home —preventing resale to a household that does not qualify as low -or moderate -income (i.e., has income >80% AMI), and o limiting the sales price to keep the home affordable by specifying a "resale formula" that determines the maximum allowable price that may be charged upon resale of the home. 9. Donating Vacant Land for Affordable Housing HEA 1001 requires review of "donating vacant land for affordable housing development." Recommended Actions: • Inventory City -owned vacant parcels suitable for housing. • Establish a transparent process for donating land to nonprofit developers, community land trusts, or MACOG Landbank, Inc. *** I hope my recommendations will help South Bend's Department of Community Investment design actions that position South Bend to comply with HEA 1001, support housing affordability, and encourage diverse, high -quality residential development.