Urban Development Glossary

Housing for which occupants pay no more than 30% of gross income for rent and utilities.

A previously used industrial or commercial site that may be contaminated and requires remediation before redevelopment.

A nonprofit organization focused on neighborhood revitalization through housing, economic development, and community services.

A nonprofit that holds land permanently for community benefit, leasing it to maintain long-term affordability.

A long-range municipal plan establishing goals, policies, and land-use maps for future development.

Involuntary relocation of residents or businesses due to rising costs, redevelopment, or policy changes.

Government power to acquire private property for public use with just compensation.

The regulatory approval process required before a development project can proceed to construction.

Neighborhood change driven by wealthier newcomers that raises costs and may displace existing residents.

Previously undeveloped land, typically agricultural or natural, on the urban fringe.

A charge on new development to fund infrastructure improvements necessitated by growth.

Regulations requiring developers to include affordable units in new residential projects.

Construction on vacant or underused parcels within existing developed areas.

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a federal incentive for private investment in affordable rental housing.

Developments integrating units at multiple price points to reduce economic segregation.

A collaborative arrangement between government and private sector to deliver development projects.

Discriminatory denial of financial services based on neighborhood racial composition, concentrating disinvestment.

Development principles concentrating growth in walkable centers while preserving open space.

Low-density, auto-dependent development spreading outward from urban centers.

A tool capturing future property tax increases from new development to fund local infrastructure.

A framework balancing economic viability, environmental stewardship, and social equity.

A regulatory line separating urban and rural land to contain sprawl and direct development inward.

Government programs clearing and redeveloping blighted areas, often criticized for community displacement.

An exception granted by a zoning board allowing a property to deviate from existing zoning requirements.

Legal division of land into districts with specified permitted uses and development standards.