In a win for affordable housing in Mountain View, the City Council voted unanimously on February 13 to strengthen its Below Market Rate (BMR) Program for rental units—often referred to as inclusionary zoning.

With this vote the council reactivated its rental program, increased the percentage requirement for affordable housing to 15%, modified the Rental In-Lieu Fee (now set at $34.57 per sq ft, adjusted annually by the CPI), and added a flexible alternative mitigation option.

The amended ordinance will have its second reading on February 27 and will go into effect 60 days later.

Unfortunately, the city council failed to expand the BMR program for for-sale developments, which remains at 10%.

Instead, a phase two discussion of the BMR program was promised, in which a proposal to raise the For-Sale In-Lieu Fee from its current rate of 3% of sales price would be considered.