by Will Huntsberry October 16, 2025
Both Mayor Todd Gloria and Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera recently announced their support — with caveats — for one of the most interesting housing policies currently floating around City Hall.
A broad coalition of groups have backed the proposal, which would end the city’s requirement that homes be built on lots of a certain minimum size. That may sound about as exciting as a truckload of No. 2 pencils, but it actually has the potential to significantly change the city’s housing landscape.
Currently, homes must be built on lots of at least 5,000 square feet throughout most of the city — a requirement that ultimately restricts the type and number of homes that can be built. Ending minimum lot sizes would allow townhomes and row homes to be built on slices of ground 1,000 square feet or less...