The current downturn in the housing industry may be opening the door for a greener upswing.
"Read the morning papers, and it's hard not to feel that the American housing industry is on the brink of the apocalypse. Home prices are plummeting, in some areas as much as 40%. However, it's exactly the gravity of the situation that some housing analysts see as the opportunity of a lifetime -- the chance to jolt us into embracing green housing."
"Even some large commercial home builders -- forced into hibernation by the real-estate bust -- have begun sketching plans for a decidedly different generation of American houses. 'Until recently, the publicly traded home builders saw green building as a niche market best taken up by smaller players,' says David Wood, director of the Boston College Institute for Responsible Investing. 'But with the down market, this could be a good time for them to differentiate themselves from competitors.'"
FULL STORY: The Green Housing Boom
Understanding Average Versus Median Rent
The disparity between these commonly used terms can give vastly different outlooks on the housing market.
How ‘Filtering’ Opens Up Affordable Housing
An analysis of 12 U.S. cities found that new market-rate construction often leads to more affordable units becoming available, but the effect varies across housing markets.
Proposed Federal Actions on Housing Fail to Address Inadequate Supply
A set of proposed policies would give tax relief to homebuyers and owners, but experts say a mismatch between supply and demand remains at the root of the crisis.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
