‘Infill’ Gets Boost Nationwide

Seeking to promote homeownership in America’s urban centers, the Clinton administration has struck an agreement with the home building industry, which, it is hoped, will result in 1 million new homes being constructed in U.S. cities over the next decade.

Vice President Al Gore on Thursday announced details of the agreement by the federal government, the National Assn. of Home Builders and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

The initiative calls for home builders to build 100,000 homes a year in urban centers. In exchange, the federal government and cities have agreed to remove regulatory and zoning barriers, which have proven to be expensive and time-consuming obstacles to overcome for the builders.

The push toward “urban infill,” as it is referred to in the home building industry, is being fueled by a number of factors, including the fact that city residents are less likely to own their homes than their suburban counterparts of the same income levels.

Nationwide, roughly 10% of new single-family homes are built in America’s cities.

In his new budget, Clinton has asked for $50 million to fund a program that would allow cities to replace abandoned buildings with new housing.

Under the agreement announced by Gore, the bulk of the new residences are expected to be single-family homes, condominiums and townhomes. Rental apartments may also be included.

Pilot programs will be launched in five to 10 cities, which have yet to be named.