Practice Test GeeksUPC - Urban Planner Certification Practice Test
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Housing Policy & Affordable Housing Flashcards

7 cards from real UPC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Housing Policy & Affordable Housing flashcards as text

  1. Which federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability?

    Answer: Fair Housing Act of 1968

    The Fair Housing Act of 1968 established federal protections against discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing.

  2. According to the widely accepted planning standard, housing is considered affordable when it consumes no more than what percentage of gross household income?

    Answer: 30%

    The 30% threshold is the standard cost-burden benchmark used by HUD and planners to define housing affordability.

  3. Which federal program uses Section 42 of the IRS tax code to provide incentives to private developers who construct or rehabilitate affordable rental housing?

    Answer: Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)

    LIHTC allocates tax credits through state housing finance agencies to developers who reserve units for low-income households, making it the largest federal affordable housing production program.

  4. What is 'inclusionary zoning'?

    Answer: A policy requiring a percentage of new housing units to be priced as affordable

    Inclusionary zoning requires developers to set aside a share of new units as affordable—either on-site or through in-lieu fees—as a condition of project approval.

  5. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are primarily used in urban planning to:

    Answer: Create additional housing supply on existing residential lots

    ADUs—such as garage apartments, in-law suites, and backyard cottages—add housing units to single-family lots, increasing density without major rezoning.

  6. The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program primarily works by:

    Answer: Subsidizing rent for eligible low-income households to use in private market housing

    Housing Choice Vouchers subsidize the gap between 30% of a household's income and the fair market rent, allowing recipients to rent privately owned housing of their choice.

  7. A 'housing needs assessment' is best described as:

    Answer: An analysis of housing demand, supply gaps, and affordability challenges to guide policy

    A housing needs assessment evaluates current stock, demographic trends, income levels, and affordability gaps to inform housing policy, plans, and resource allocation.