This will be short.

For over a dozen years, we have been regularly attending or watching on video planning, zoning, and municipal governing body meetings. We find the questions when it comes to proposals to construct apartments (and townhouses and single family homes to a lesser extent) problematic.

They are very anti-family. In every municipality we have covered, it is always the same.

“How many school aged children do you think will live there,” is a regular question of the developers asked by the appointed and elected officials.

“Are there any three-bedroom units,” is another common question.

The developers always explain how the apartments will be constructed in such a way to not attract families, or at least those with multiple children. “It will mostly be one bedrooms,” the developers say. “Our target market is young professionals and empty nesters,” is another refrain. “There will be no three bedroom units,” is always stated as a selling point for approval.

It is important to point out that the appointed and elected officials are legally allowed to ask these type of questions. The impact of a development on local schools can be considered when rendering a decision for recommendation or approval.

But it sounds terrible. It is terrible. It should stop.

It is against the federal Fair Housing Act to discriminate against families and children once a development is constructed. Under the Fair Housing Act, familial status is a protected class prohibiting housing discrimination against families with children under 18, pregnant individuals, and those securing custody. Landlords cannot deny housing, enforce restrictive rules, or charge extra fees due to the presence of children.

Municipalities actively discourage the very housing that would suit the needs of a protected class, families with children.

What other group of people would you ever ask a series of questions about in an effort to limit their presence in your community? We will wait for an answer.