The "Home Opportunities Made Easier Act" is designed to tackle the housing affordability crisis faced by working families in Arkansas. It aims to alleviate the challenges of securing housing by reducing regulatory barriers that limit the construction of diverse housing types. Key provisions include restrictions on local governments' ability to impose design requirements for dwelling units unless they are essential for public health and safety, and a mandate that zoning ordinances allowing single-family homes must also permit duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes. The Act also facilitates the establishment of tiny homes and secondary dwelling units, streamlining their approval processes to create a more accessible housing environment.

Additionally, the bill introduces amendments to existing laws concerning home occupations and local government regulations. It allows local governments to impose reasonable restrictions on home occupations to prevent nuisances but prohibits outright bans on storing inventory or using equipment unless they pose a genuine safety risk. The legislation clarifies that local governments cannot restrict residential uses in commercial zones or impose excessive regulations on rental properties. It emphasizes that zoning ordinances must be closely tied to public safety and health, allows individuals to challenge local government actions in court without exhausting administrative remedies, and mandates local governments to amend their zoning ordinances to align with these new regulations within twelve months.

Statutes affected:
SB 456: 14-56-204(c)