Recession forces towns to consider zoning changes for single-family residences

While housing family members, and sometimes paying tenants, in basements and attics may not always be legal under city zoning, more and more families have found it necessary during the recession. Now homeowners are pressing for cities to ease those restrictions, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Richard Lacroix, a resident of Arlington, Mass., asked his town to allow him to convert his garage to a studio apartment that he can rent out, partly because he has seen so many of his neighbors leave the area because they can no longer afford their homes.

“They should let people age in place. The town is looking to a substantial increase in property taxes,” Lacroix told the Journal. His proposed measure was defeated, but he intends to revisit the issue. [WSJ] — Guelda Voien