We can provide much needed housing while supporting our tree canopy.

Tree canopy is defined as how much of an area of land (by percentage) is covered by trees, as seen from an aerial view. Tree canopy typically includes the branches, leaves or other foliage from woody vegetation, at least five feet in height, that provide shade. Tree canopy is also called tree cover.

Assessing a community’s tree canopy helps policy makers understand the extent of its existing tree resources. This helps to inform policy goals for how to balance the needs for trees and to accommodate more housing as the community grows.

Most municipalities regulate whether an individual tree can be removed – and when and where it should be replaced. Property owners are not usually engaged in the process of developing these policies. These regulations can be a major factor in determining if a parcel of land can be developed for new housing or if a homeowner can expand or renovate their existing home.

Yes, in most jurisdictions tree regulations for private property owners are different than publicly owned land like city parks and open spaces.

It is important that tree policies are balanced, providing flexibility for property owners and builders. There are times when a homeowner or builder needs to remove trees to build. Policies that allow for trees to be planted in other locations ensure we can preserve tree canopy while also meeting our community’s need for more housing.

By imposing strict requirements to preserve trees exactly as they are, these policies limit or prevent the ability to build or expand homes, thereby curtailing the rights of property owners. These policies can impact the supply of available and affordable housing in communities, preventing new homes from being built. As cities look to enact and update tree codes, it is vital that they do not undermine the community’s housing needs by enacting overly restrictive tree codes.

There are many contributing factors that have driven up the costs of housing in our region and exacerbated the homelessness crisis. The low availability of affordable housing throughout the region is an especially significant issue. We can’t begin to solve the affordability crisis until we increase the supply of housing, particularly at accessible price points. Tree policies that stand in the way of increasing the supply of new housing create an additional barrier to solving our housing crisis.

Adding more housing choices does not have to come at the expense of environmental stewardship. A balanced, flexible tree code maintains or grows the level of tree coverage in a city while also responding to our housing needs.

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