Annette Koh

The first attempt to set up an inclusionary zoning program took place in Fairfax, Virginia, in 1971 . However, the ordinance was struck down because the Virginia Supreme Court held that the legislature that passed it did not have the authority to do so. Shortly thereafter, in 1974, Montgomery County, Maryland successfully put in place the first adopted inclusionary zoning program. This ordinance required that “15 percent of new developments with more than 50 housing units be sold at a price affordable to low income households.” With this, inclusionary housing was introduced to the United States.

Michael Floryan, “Cracking the Foundation: Highlighting and Criticizing the Shortcomings of Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning Practices”, 37 Pepperdine Law Review, pp 1051.

For what it’s worth, there should be more joint law/urban planning programs. I’m getting a crash course in legal history and how the suburbs zoned their way into sprawl.

Mel Scott, American City Planning Since 1890: “Zoning was the heaven-sent nostrum for sick cities, the wonder drug of the planners, the balm sought by lending institutions and householders alike. City after city worked itself into a state of acute apprehension until it could adopt a zoning ordinance.”