Client: City of Brighton

The city of Brighton engaged Gruen Gruen + Associates (GG+A) to complete an assessment of housing needs and conditions, evaluate appropriate housing strategies and incentives given identified needs and constraints, and to assist Brighton to opt-in to Proposition 123 (the application for which was accepted by the state as of early October 2023).

GG+A toured Brighton, its neighborhoods, and examples of recently developed housing in the community. GG+ conducted interviews with a broad variety of property owners, home builders, market-rate and affordable housing developers, economic developers, and municipal planning staff, and worked closely with the Brighton Housing Authority throughout the study effort. GG+A completed research and analysis of the existing housing inventory, housing market conditions, housing affordability, the demographic make-up of Brighton households, and the economic base and labor force of Brighton. GG+A designed and analyzed a survey of Brighton households related to their housing situations, preferences, satisfaction with their housing, and plans and needs for their housing in the future. GG+A synthesized the results of the tasks outlined above including how regional job growth and population growth are likely to affect future housing demand and needs to prepare a forecast of future housing needs of Brighton. GG+A also evaluated the real estate economics of developing typical types of for-sale and rental housing units in Brighton to identify the types and prices of housing units that will or will not be feasible for the private market to supply.

GG+A prepared a strategic action plan including recommended land use policy and regulatory changes, housing-related development incentives, and other policy initiatives such as related to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and water resource dedication requirements. GG+A gave two presentations to the city council which unanimously accepted the report and plan.

Final report: Brighton Housing Needs and Incentive Strategies Assessment