Burlington's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (CDO Article 9, adopted 1990 — the first US municipal program of its kind) requires residential projects of five or more units to set aside 15-25% as affordable, with density and parking bonuses available.
Under CDO §9.1, projects creating five or more dwelling units must include between 15% and 25% income-restricted units, calibrated to project size and location. In return, developers can access density bonuses (additional units beyond zoning baseline), parking reductions, and expedited review. Affordability covenants run for ninety-nine years, monitored by the Champlain Housing Trust or the city. The ordinance has produced hundreds of permanently affordable units and is a national model frequently cited in academic housing studies.
CDO denial of permits; covenant enforcement through deed restrictions and CHT monitoring.
See how Burlington's density bonus law rules stack up against other locations.
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