UPC Housing Policy & Affordable Housing

Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

Fair Housing Act of 1968

Answer

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

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

30%

Answer

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

Question 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?

Accepted Answer

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)

Answer

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.

Question 4

What is 'inclusionary zoning'?

Accepted Answer

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

Answer

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.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

Create additional housing supply on existing residential lots

Answer

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

UPC - Urban Planner Certification Practice Test

UPC - Urban Planner Certification Practice Test

UPC Housing Policy & Affordable Housing