Before the coronavirus, affordable housing was one of the hottest topics in the housing industry, and despite the shift in focus, the need for affordable options remains. In order to address that gap, Okla. Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law an affordable housing bill that limits regulation on purely aesthetic building design that raises the cost of housing. Prior to the law, local governments could prohibit exterior finishes such as vinyl, wood, and aluminum despite being allowed by building code. This law, which the Oklahoma Home Builders Association (OkHBS) and Oklahoma Realtors Association lobbied for, will protect entry-level buyers from being priced out of the market.
In a victory for home builders and housing affordability, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R) has signed SB 1713 into law. The legislation will limit cities and counties from regulating purely aesthetic building design that would needlessly raise the cost of housing.
The Oklahoma Home Builders Association (OkHBA), along with the Oklahoma Realtors Association, the Affordable Housing Coalition and other trade groups and consumers, lobbied aggressively for this legislative remedy after some Oklahoma towns proposed residential design changes that would prohibit exterior finishes such as vinyl, wood and aluminum siding that are otherwise permitted under all editions of the International Residential Code. Other proposed changes such as roof pitch or front facing garages would collectively increase building costs and price entry-level buyers out of the market.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Affordability
The Disappearing Act That Is Middle-Income Housing
An expert weighs in on the diminishing supply of middle-income housing, which is particularly acute in California, and what to do about it
Off-Site Construction
Utah Passes Bill to Regulate Modular Construction at the State Level
Goals for housing innovation and affordability meet in the Utah's passage of a new bill that establishes a statewide modular construction program
Affordability
Affordability Improves, but the Average Worker Still Struggles to Afford a Home
Homeownership around the U.S. continues to require historically large portions of worker wages, a new housing-affordability report finds