Tom Pace on Zoning Reform and Housing Innovation in Sacramento
About This Episode
Sacramento, California, is at the forefront of zoning reform, tackling some of the biggest challenges in housing supply and affordability. Tom Pace, the city’s director of community development, shares how the city has embraced policies to remove barriers to housing production, modernize outdated regulations, and promote sustainable growth. And, he offers ideas for how other places can approach zoning reform to build more equitable and livable communities.
"I'd start with the low hanging fruit—focus on updating outdated regulations and regulations that aren't achieving local objectives. Try to help the local leadership understand how the rules that are in place may not be meeting their goals and what could be done to streamline them or to make them right-sized or make them up to date in a way that would help achieve those goals." — Tom Pace, Sacramento Director of Community Development
In this episode of People Behind the Plans, Pace shares insights on the city’s ambitious approach to infill and transit-oriented housing, as well as how to eliminate parking requirements and simplify the approval process for new developments. He also reflects on the evolution of Sacramento’s General Plan and how planners can balance community engagement with bold policy changes. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on the power of planning to shape more accessible and vibrant cities.
Episode Transcript
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