Introduction

When people discuss the shortage of affordable, accessible, and inclusive housing—or what we call disability-forward housing—zoning and land-use policies are often left out of the conversation. These policies tend to operate in the background, quietly shaping where low-income disabled people can live, work, and access services. 

Land use policies describe how a community plans to use its land overall—for example, where homes, stores, jobs, and services are meant to go. Zoning rules are more specific. They spell out what can actually be built on a given site, such as how tall a building can be, how many homes are allowed, and how much parking is required. Together, land use and zoning shape which kinds of housing are possible, making it either easier or harder to create disability-forward homes. 

History of Zoning in the United States

Zoning policies in the United States also have a long history rooted in racism and ableism. Many zoning rules were originally designed to separate people by race, income, and perceived “desirability,” keeping wealthier, white, non-disabled residents in some neighborhoods while pushing others out. Over time, these policies limited where people with disabilities could live by restricting multifamily housing, banning supportive housing, and concentrating accessible and affordable homes in only a few areas. 

Although federal laws like the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit discrimination, zoning codes often function as a workaround—allowing exclusion to persist through limits on density, housing types, and location rather than through explicit bans. As a result, local land-use decisions can undermine civil rights protections even when discrimination is technically illegal.

Why Zoning Matters for Disability-Forward Housing

Adding more housing—especially denser housing, which simply means more homes on the same piece of land—creates more opportunities for accessible homes. When zoning allows for more units per building, developers are better able to include features such as elevators, step-free entrances, wider hallways, and accessible common spaces. These features are often difficult or impossible to add in small, single-unit buildings, but they become more feasible when spread across more homes.

Denser housing also makes it easier to locate homes near transit, services, and community amenities, which are critical for many people with disabilities. In this way, allowing more housing to be built is not just about quantity—it is a key part of making accessible living possible.

Also, when zoning requires special approvals or discretionary reviews for multifamily or supportive housing, projects can be delayed, downsized, or stopped entirely—creating uncertainty that makes disability-forward housing harder to finance and build.

Zoning Reforms That Support Disability-Forward Housing

Across the country, cities are beginning to change zoning rules to make more inclusive housing possible. These examples show what disability-forward zoning reform can look like in practice.

In San Francisco, California, a recently adopted Family Zoning Plan expands where multifamily housing can be built, particularly in neighborhoods that have historically limited new development. By allowing greater density near transit and services, the plan creates new opportunities for inclusive, accessible housing in high-opportunity areas. To fully realize its potential, these zoning changes must be paired with strong accessibility and affordability incentives and/or requirements so that new housing proactively includes people with disabilities.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city eliminated single-family-only zoning, allowing duplexes and triplexes in neighborhoods that previously allowed just one home per lot. This change expanded the number of sites where smaller, multi-unit buildings can be built. For disability-forward housing, this means more opportunities to create accessible homes in residential neighborhoods near schools, transit, and services—rather than limiting people with disabilities to a few high-density areas.

In Buffalo, New York, the city removed minimum parking requirements citywide. Instead of requiring a set number of parking spaces per housing development, Buffalo now allows developers to determine how much parking makes sense for their project. This reform has helped lower construction costs and free up space for additional housing units or community amenities. It also recognizes that not everyone drives, including many people with disabilities.

In Seattle, Washington, zoning changes have increased flexibility for small apartment buildings and reduced barriers to development on smaller or irregular lots. These reforms make it easier to build mid-sized housing with elevators and accessible layouts, especially in infill sites, which are underused or vacant lands in urban areas. This kind of flexibility can be critical for creating disability-forward housing in established neighborhoods that are close to essential services and community amenities.

In Texas, a new state law requires many cities to allow multifamily housing on land that was previously limited to commercial or other non-residential uses. By opening these sites to housing, the law expands the amount of land available for development in areas that are often close to jobs, transit, and community services. 

Additionally, some cities are also beginning to explore single-stair reform, which allows certain multi-story residential buildings to use a single staircase paired with an elevator instead of requiring multiple staircases. While still emerging, this reform has already been adopted in parts of the United States and internationally. Single-stair buildings can offer better layouts, lower construction costs, and more usable space—making them especially promising for accessible and affordable housing.

These examples show that zoning reform is not theoretical. Cities across the country are already changing their rules to make more inclusive housing possible. Advocates can use these examples to show local leaders that disability-forward zoning is achievable—and already happening.

What Advocates Can Do

Advocates do not need to master zoning codes to make a difference. A good place to start is by learning where zoning and land-use decisions are made locally. These decisions often occur at city council meetings, planning commission hearings, or through planning departments when cities update zoning codes and comprehensive plans, or consider new development proposals. Many cities post agendas, staff reports, and draft policies on their websites, allowing you to track upcoming decisions and when public input is invited.

There are also resources that can help advocates understand the rules in their area without having to read an entire zoning code. Tools like the National Zoning Atlas provide an overview of zoning policies across states and cities, helping advocates see how their community compares to others and identify common barriers to accessible and inclusive housing. Local advocacy groups, housing coalitions, and planning staff can also be helpful sources of information and context.

Once advocates understand the basics, asking the right questions can be powerful. This can include asking how local zoning regulations support or limit accessible housing, whether height or density limits make it harder to build elevators and accessible layouts, and whether planning documents include clear commitments to disability inclusion. Advocates can also push for disability-forward language in zoning updates, planning policies, and requests for proposals for new development.

Advocacy is especially effective early in the process, when cities are drafting new policies or rules. Engaging before policies are finalized gives disability advocates the opportunity to help define priorities, identify unintended barriers, and ensure accessibility is embedded in the framework itself. Sharing examples from other cities—like the ones listed above—can further help local leaders see what is possible and provide a practical starting point for change, reducing uncertainty and demonstrating that disability-forward approaches are both achievable and beneficial. When disability advocates engage in zoning conversations, they help ensure that access and inclusion are built into neighborhoods as they continue to change.

Conclusion

​​Zoning and land use reform offer a concrete opportunity to expand where and how inclusive housing can be built. Thoughtful engagement at this level can help translate disability-forward values into lasting structural change.

Ultimately, this reform is most effective when accessibility is built into it from the beginning. When access is treated as something to address later, it often becomes optional, delayed, or eliminated altogether. Embedding accessibility directly into zoning and land use rules helps ensure that inclusive housing is the norm, not a special accommodation, and that people with disabilities are considered from the outset of neighborhood planning.