Weighing in On New Housing Proposals

posted June 30, 2025 - 11:12am

Hello,

Earlier this month, I joined the Mayor and several other alders to announce three new housing proposals for Madison. I shared my thoughts with Madison365 and I encourage you to read Dr. Justice Castañeda's thoughts on the proposals shared by the Isthmus.

While one of the proposals focuses on growth downtown, two proposals apply citywide, including to District 17, and allow more flexibility for homeowners. They are:

Allowing duplexes, 2-flats, and “twin homes” in all residential zones. Current City zoning bans these choices in many neighborhoods, allowing only single homes per lot. By legalizing these modest, small-scale homes, we can add more needed housing to Madison, and create more homeownership options for young families, older adults ready to downsize, and opportunities to build wealth. And because these home types tend to be more affordable that single homes, they can help create a more affordable price point for homeownership.

Nothing about this policy will require any homeowner to change anything about their property. It just allows another option to give homeowners flexibility in areas it wasn’t previously allowed.

The map below shows where this is already allowed in orange, and the new areas that would be allowed if this proposal passes in yellow.

2. Allow property owners with deep residential lots to create “Backyard Lots.” If somebody has a property that is double the minimum required lot size for the zoning district they are in, there are already some options for splitting the lot in two. This proposals adds flexibility to how double-sized lots can be configured, allowing a “Backyard Lot.” In this case, the street frontage would need to be wide enough for the front house, plus 10 feet for a driveway to reach to the backyard lot.

With two distinct lots, the owner could sell one or both if they preferred, allowing them the option to earn income or downsize while staying in their neighborhood and continuing to own a home. It also creates more homes for others to buy or rent.

If you wonder if your property would be eligible for this policy, visit the City’s online zoning map and zoom into your property. You can measure your property there and compare it to the minimum requirements for that zone. To be eligible, a property must be twice the minimum lot size, 10 feet wider than the minimum width, and at least 160 feet deep.

I am a co-sponsor of both of these proposals.

More information on all three proposals can be found here. You can also attend an online informational meeting scheduled on July 2 at 6:00 pm.

The proposals will also be considered and voted on by the following committees, and public comment is invited at all of them.