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    BCP’s vision is that free-market municipal policy solutions are broadly available, widely acceptable, and regularly employed, enabling American cities to achieve their full potential as engines of economic prosperity. We reject the idea that cities are lost to free-market principles or policies.
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    Better Cities Project
    • Home
    • About Us
      Our Vision
      BCP’s vision is that free-market municipal policy solutions are broadly available, widely acceptable, and regularly employed, enabling American cities to achieve their full potential as engines of economic prosperity. We reject the idea that cities are lost to free-market principles or policies.
      Our Mission
      BCP uncovers ideas that work, promotes realistic solutions, and forges partnerships that help people in America’s largest cities live free and happy lives.
      Learn More
      • About Better Cities Project
      • Our Focus Areas
      • Our Team
      • Collaboration and Careers -- Work With BCP
    • Research and Projects
    • Latest Insights
    • Videos
    • Contact
      Our Vision

      Address

      304 S. Jones Blvd #2826
      Las Vegas NV 89107

      Phone

      ‪(702) 546-8736‬

      Hours

      Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

      Email

      info@better-cities.org

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      Home Community, Growth and Housing

      Case study: Incremental victories with zoning reform in Auburn, Maine

      Scarce housing was holding the city back; what they did has lessons for communities of every size

      Eric CousensbySalim FurthandEric Cousens
      August 4, 2022
      in Community, Growth and Housing, Economic Prosperity, Research
      Reading Time: 1 min read
      A A
      Auburn, Maine, aerial shot
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      Better Cities Project Auburn, Maine case study cover
      Click the image to download the report.

      Auburn, Maine, is an American everytown of 24,000 residents. Surrounded by second-growth forests, the city could just as easily be set in Midwestern cornfields or the suburbs of a major metropolis.

      Like almost every American town, Auburn has contended with rising home prices; in Auburn’s case, the market shifted a few years before the pandemic as demand overflowed from Portland. For the first time in memory, demand would support unsubsidized, new market-rate apartments in Auburn — if the city could make space for them.

      Through a multi-step process involving coalitions, community input and targeted changes to zoning regulations, the city did just that. And although the community is small, both the technical approach they took and the results that they achieved have lessons for communities of any size:

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      • Ambitious change requires a leader willing to stake political capital.
      • Losing one battle – as Mayor Jason Levesque did with Auburn’s Ag Zone – can reveal a constituency that will be an ally on other fronts.
      • Sweeping change requires a unifying narrative, clear strategic goals, and honest communication, but piecemeal implementation is practical.
      • Broad outreach can fortify reformers so they don’t overreact to the negative voices dominating the top of the pyramid.
      • Your community might welcome much bigger changes than you think.

      Zoning improvements in Auburn, Maine

       

      Click on the PDF above to learn more about the process Auburn officials undertook, why they embraced form-based zoning, and the opportunities (and challenges) on the road ahead.

       

      Tags: Housing AffordabilityMainePermitting and LicensingRegulationZoning
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      Salim Furth

      Salim Furth

      Salim Furth is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He studies regional, urban, and macroeconomic trends and policies and has testified before the US Senate and House of Representatives. Previously, he worked at the Heritage Foundation and Amherst College. His writing has been featured in National Affairs, American Affairs, The City, and Public Discourse, and he wrote regularly for the Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank blog. He earned his PhD in economics from the University of Rochester in 2011.

      Eric Cousens

      Eric Cousens

      Eric Cousens is a planner and economic development professional who cares about the preservation of his long-time city. He has worked for the City of Auburn for more than 16 years, advocating for density at urban centers to allow people to live with people, in varied housing types, where services and infrastructure can be provided and shared efficiently.

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      Better Cities Project helps people in America’s largest cities live free, happy lives. We uncover what works, promote solutions, and forge partnerships that turn ideas into results.



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      Will California Pass Bill Easing Zoning Laws for Church-sponsored Housing Projects?

      Will California Pass Bill Easing Zoning Laws for Church-sponsored Housing Projects?

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