Housing

Miami Sues Banks Over Housing Collapse
Miami’s city government hopes to get some financial compensation from banks for the hardship the city endured during the foreclosure crisis.

California's Rental Housing Crisis Has Come to the Capital
The state capital of California is starting to see rents that would fit in around San Francisco or Los Angeles. Although explanations are scant, some are blaming the stagnant multi-family development industry.

Vancouver Home Sales Nosedive After Foreign Buyer Restrictions Take Effect
A new tax on foreign buyers and a threatened tax on vacant homes have contributed to a significant drop in home sales in October.

Policy Ideas That Support Renters
Renters can't access the tax breaks afforded to home buyers, like the mortgage interest tax deduction, so a Terner Center for Housing Innovation paper looks at policies that could put renters on a more even footing with home buyers.
Good for the Planet—and the Real Estate Industry?
Climate change is the new reality, and building owners and developers that want to remain in business need to adapt. So says a recent Urban Land Institute (ULI) report that calls last year's Paris agreement "a potential game changer."

Chicago to Co-Locate Libraries and Public Housing
The city wants both public uses to be housed in "eye-catching works of architecture."

Does Suburbia Promote Fertility?
In Joel Kotkin's new book The Human City, he argues that suburbanization promotes higher birthrates. But this policy doesn't seem to have worked so far.
D.C. Raises Taxes on Vacant and Blighted Properties
It got more expensive to neglect properties in Washington, D.C. this week.

Santa Monica Ordinance Would Require Net-Zero Energy Standards for New Homes
Santa Monica is the first city in California to adopt an ordinance requiring new single-family homes be built to net-zero energy standards.

Report: Portland's Proposed Residential Infill Policies Could Slow Infill Development
Portland is expecting 123,000 new households in the city by 2035, so it's proposed a new residential infill policy to accommodate all those people. A new report argues, however, that the policy could have a chilling effect on infill development.

Building Tiny Homes for Detroit's Homeless
Detroit plans to build 300 tiny homes on empty lots to help shelter the city's homeless.

Landlords Recoil from Property Data Websites
An apartment-hunting website that highlights landlords' credibility has not earned their cooperation.

Study: Children Benefit From Public Housing
New research challenges prevailing wisdom on the best kind of housing assistance.

Affordable Living in The Bronx
A look at Parkchester, one of four planned communities built by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York City, circa 1940s. The complex includes over 12,000 rental and ownership apartments, located near the #6 subway.

The Genesis of a Medium-Sized City's Affordable Housing Strategy
Bradenton, a medium-sized city on the Gulf Coast of Florida, offers a case study in affordable housing policy.
Facebook Ads Haven't Figured Out the Fair Housing Act
Facebook's advertising platform might run afoul of the Fair Housing Act of 1968—a reminder of the risks as new business models gain traction on the Internet.

Help Wanted: Canadian Cities Turn to the Federal Government for Affordable Housing
An organization representing Canadian cities is asking for $12.7 billion to respond to rising housing costs.

Vancouver May Fast-Track Modular Laneway Homes
The city of Vancouver has emerged as a leader in "laneway" housing: secondary units built onto existing lots, often facing an alleyway. To boost supply, the city may expedite permitting for modular units.

Garage Construction Continues to Outpace Apartment Construction
New data reveal the U.S. housing industry's preference for garages for cars over apartments for people.

Are States Too Active or Not Active Enough? Yes.
State governments like to limit local taxing authority but not local zoning—maybe they should do the exact opposite.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie