In the Kirwan Institute’s report on opportunity mapping, a key phrase is used often to describe the poor distribution of opportunity in the state of Connecticut. This phrase is “exclusionary zoning.” To better understand the phrase, we need to break it into its parts.
Zoning, as described by Whitten in “West Hartford Zoning,” is a practice that many cities employ with the intent of organizing the land within the city. Whitten describes the three main districts as being residential, business, and industrial. When land within a city is zoned, the land is set aside for one of the three districts, and thus serves a specific purpose. Each district, then, has its own set of regulations. In the case of land in the residential district, certain regulations can be placed on the land, often determining how houses are built and which kinds of houses can be built in the area.
The word exclusionary is an adjective describing the act of excluding things, or shutting things out, based on a certain characteristic. In the case of exclusionary zoning, certain zoning regulations are created with the intent of denying the construction of certain types of homes within residential areas. In the Kirwin Institute’s report, Reece and his associates describe exactly how exclusionary zoning is used in the state of Connecticut, and why an observance of this practice is important:
Formal policies, such as exclusionary zoning… preserve and perpetuate segregation, even though they may not appear overtly discriminatory. Restrictions or bans on multi-family development, minimum lot sizes, age-restricted zoning, and low-density zoning limit the opportunities for low-income families or people of color to move to the suburbs, for both renters and owners. (Reece et al 20)
Simply put, certain zoning policies, especially in suburban areas, can place a ban on affordable and multi-family housing, preventing families of a lower economic status from enjoying the benefit of living in a suburban neighborhood and thus benefitting from a greater amount of opportunity.
(Planning and Zoning Department for Bloomfield, CT)
The practice of exclusionary zoning is more prevalent than one might think. Take any suburban city and study the zoning regulations—more often than not, the regulations will expose some sort of discrimination towards housing for low-income families. The example I use here comes from the Zoning Regulations for the town of Bloomfield, CT. I have two parts highlighted. First, I note that the only type of houses mentioned as being acceptable by zoning signoff are single family houses. This means that multiple family homes are not permitted. Second, I highlight that affordable houses may also be allowed– if the houses are for municipal firefighters. Essentially, the zoning regulations for the town of Bloomfield leave no room for families seeking more affordable housing. This allows the town to isolate itself from citizens of a lower economic class, and as a result, isolate itself from many of Hartford’s minorities, perpetuating the segregation Reece of the Kirwin Institute mentioned earlier.
Reece, Jason et al. People, Place and Opportunity: Mapping Communitites of Opportunity in Connecticut. Kirwin Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2012.
Whitten, Robert Harvey. West Hartford Zoning. Report to the Zoning Commission on the Zoning of West Hartford,. West Hartford, CT: Zoning Commission, 1924. Print.
Planning and Zoning Department. Zoning Regulations: Town of Bloomfield– CT. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Town of Bloomfield– CT, 25 June 2009. Web. 17 Sept. 2012. <http://bloomfieldct.org/Resources.ashx?id=c0f0f920-1af1-4a57-99b9-6c86b43f4137>.