Louisville City Council’s work plan prioritizes affordable housing

Louisville’s City Council met Tuesday to prioritize a list of ongoing projects and items for the 2023 year.

Deputy City Manager Megan Davis and city consultant June Ramos presented the plan. Ramos said it will establish what projects can be reasonably addressed in 2023. The work plan also establishes a proposed timeline for projects and how much council engagement will be required.

The work plan includes ongoing projects and items carried forward from last year, such as greenhouse gas reduction initiatives, and community resilience and fire mitigation strategies. The plan also includes required work, like capital improvements. Councilmembers were surveyed in 2022 to discuss what they want to see on the work plan, such as community design and administration and support services.

Councilmember Maxine Most said she would like the city to broaden the definition of affordable housing when conducting the affordable housing study and strategic plan. She said there are residents who are struggling to stay in the community as costs rise and new code requirements that could be costly. She wants to include current lower- and moderate-income households in Louisville, as the cost of living is increasing.

Councilmember Caleb Dickinson said rental market prices increased after the Marshall Fire, and while the city cannot control rent prices, they should consider other ways to help residents and expand the idea of what affordable housing is.

“When you try to solve a problem,” city consultant Ramos said, “if you don’t have a common definition to start off with, then people are voting for different things.”

Affordable housing will be a high priority for the Council, with the clarification that it means more than just housing or rent prices but also taking into account how the economy affects the working class.

Councilmembers also prioritized greenhouse gas reductions and comprehensive plan updates. Mayor Dennis Maloney said the Council should discuss adding residential dark sky lighting into the zoning code, which will improve light pollution, even if it is low on the priority list.

City Manager Davis said the 2022 work plan was focused on Marshall Fire recovery, and this year’s work plan still focuses on recovery but also other city priorities. Maloney said the plan “is a product that we can move ahead with” and the Council is happy with. Davis said the proposed work plan also includes recurring items that require council attention.

The 2023 budget will be amended to make room for any items that may require additional resources, which were not originally included.