Allentown City Zoning Code
§ 28-17.4
Municipality-Wide Mandatory Set-Aside.
[Amended 3-10-2026 by Ord. No. 05-2026]
a.
A development, other than single-family family detached, providing a minimum of five new housing units created through any municipal rezoning or Zoning Board action, use or density variance, redevelopment plan, or rehabilitation plan that provides for densities at or above six units per acre, is required to include an affordable housing set-aside of 20%.
b.
Any affordable units generated through such mandatory set-aside shall be subject to all other provisions of this section.
c.
All such affordable units shall be governed by this section, the controls on affordability, including bedroom distribution, and affirmatively marketed to the housing region in conformance with UHAC at N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1 et seq., any successor regulation, and all other applicable laws.
d.
No subdivision shall be permitted or approved for the purpose of avoiding compliance with this requirement. Developers cannot, for example, subdivide a project into two lots and then make each of them a number of units just below the threshold.
e.
The mandatory set-aside requirements of this section do not give any developer the right to any rezoning, variance or other relief, or establish any obligation on the part of the municipality to grant such rezoning, variance or other relief.
f.
This municipality-wide mandatory set-aside requirement does not apply to any sites or specific zones otherwise identified in the HEFSP, for which density and set-aside requirements shall be governed by the specific standards as set forth therein.
g.
In the event that the inclusionary set-aside of 20% of the total number of residential units does not result in a full integer, the developer shall choose one of two options for addressing the fractional unit:
1.
The developer may round the set-aside upward to construct a whole additional affordable unit; or
2.
If the set-aside includes a fractional unit equal to 0.49 or less, the developer may round the set-aside downward and construct the lesser whole number of affordable units and shall also contribute the fractional subsidy payment ("fractional subsidy payment") to be made to the municipality and deposited in the municipal Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The fractional subsidy payment amount shall be calculated as the fractional unit multiplied by the base subsidy payment amount currently established by the municipality as the average subsidy reflected in financial pro formas for 100% affordable housing or subsidized developments in the municipality or region on file with the municipality. For example, if seven total units are developed at an inclusionary site, a 20% set-aside would require 1.4 affordable units. Per the requirements above:
(a)
The developer shall round up the 0.4 unit to one whole affordable unit so as to construct a total of two affordable housing units; or the developer shall round the set-aside downward so as to construct only one affordable unit AND shall pay into the municipal affordable housing trust fund a fractional subsidy payment equal to the dollar amount established by the municipality multiplied by 0.4.
