§ 26-89-070. Design and Construction Standards

Each housing unit that is constructed to provide affordable housing in compliance with this Article shall comply with all of the following standards.

A.

Design and construction.

1.

Timing of construction. Affordable units shall be constructed concurrently with the other units in the project. Where construction phasing is necessary, each phase shall provide the same ratio of lower-or moderate income units to the market rate or other unrestricted units in the phase as that required for the development as a whole.

2.

Location within overall development. Affordable units shall be integrated into the overall project design and distributed throughout the development.

3.

Unit size.

a.

The average floor area of the affordable units shall be at least 75 percent of the average floor area of the other units in the development.

b.

The mix of unit sizes and numbers of bedrooms in the affordable units shall be similar to the mix of unit sizes and bedroom counts provided in the development as a whole; except that the affordable units may have less floor area than the market rate units to assist in achieving affordability, provided the units comply with the average floor area requirement in Subparagraph A. 3. a., above.

4.

Amenities.

a.

Interior amenities. To assist in achieving affordability, affordable units may have fewer interior amenities than the market rate units in the development.

b.

Exterior appearance. Exterior appearance and quality of the affordable units shall generally be similar to the market-rate units, with exterior materials and appointments similar to, and architecturally compatible with, the market-rate units in the development.

c.

Upgrades. A developer shall not offer upgrades of materials to renters or buyers of affordable dwelling units where the upgrades would increase the total price paid by the buyer to the developer, or total rent paid by the tenant, for the affordable dwelling unit to above the specified affordable rent or sales price.

(Ord. No. 6085, § IV(Exh. C), 10-7-2014)