Cities Clash Over Zoning, Housing; Louisville $6M Settlement

Cities and institutions across the U.S. are confronting housing shortages with zoning changes and development proposals aimed at middle-density and affordable housing. In Nashville, Metro Council is considering recommendations from a housing study that would create two new residential zoning categories — Residential Neighborhood and Residential Limited — expand detached accessory dwelling units, lower certain height limits and offer a voluntary attainability bonus; officials say none of the measures would automatically rezone property, while neighbors warn of added density, lost green space and parking impacts. In Phoenix, leaders of the historic Willo neighborhood are seeking an exemption from Arizona’s Missing Middle law, which requires cities of 75,000+ to allow duplexes through townhomes near downtown starting Jan. 1, 2026, leaving residents split between preserving character and expanding housing options. In Boulder, University Heights residents are opposing CU Boulder’s proposed six- to eight-story student housing adjacent to single-family homes, citing concerns about scale, noise, parking, utilities and the need for better neighborhood dialogue. And in Louisville, Metro settled a long-running federal lawsuit brought by developer LDG over the blocked Prospect Cove affordable-housing complex for $6 million, a resolution that underscores tensions between legal mandates for affordable housing and local opposition.