Government / Politics

D.C. Steps in to Buy At-Risk Affordable Housing
In the interest of preserving affordable supply, the District can purchase apartment buildings that would otherwise sell to private developers.

What the Final Tax Reform Bill Has in Store for Housing and Development
The final version of the tax reform bill included some surprises with regard to housing and infrastructure funding mechanisms threatened in previous version of the bill.

Long Beach Urban Farming Initiative Targets Vacant Lots
A California policy lets cities offer tax incentives to landowners who put vacant lots to use as urban farms or gardens. Long Beach is the latest comer, but the uptake has been sluggish elsewhere.

Another Environmental Regulation Rollback Finalized by Trump Administration
A one-year suspension of an Obama-era rule to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas drilling on Federal and Indian lands will increase global warming and reduce federal revenue. Trump took action after Congress failed to repeal the rule.

Mayor: The Best Job in Politics
An exclusive excerpt from former Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter's new book "Mayor: The Best Job in Politics." Nutter is now Senior SP2 Fellow at the Penn Institute for Urban Research.

Hurricane Harvey and the Failure of the National Flood Insurance Program
Houston's most recent natural disaster is only the latest example of how a program created to help homeowners has been a greater benefit to the industries that profit from them.

Portland: Homes for Everyone, or Not in My Neighborhood
Even progressive Portland wrestles with conservatism when it comes to housing in single-family neighborhoods

California to Explore Next Steps in Converting From Gas Tax to Road Charge
A summary report of California's 9-month pilot program to test the use of a mileage charge to replace the gas tax to fund road infrastructure has been released. Next steps include exploring available technology to implement the road charge.

When Post-Recession Development Causes Political Controversy
Denver provides a case study of a city's politics reckoning with the pace of development in a post-recession real estate market.

A Detroit Neighborhood 'Sentenced to Die'
A handful of Delray residents refuse to be displaced by industry, but the plan for a new bridge may mean they don't have a choice.

What Jail Can't Do
Frank Greene and Kenneth Ricci discuss the changing paradigms of half a century of justice architecture and what we should ask — and expect — from courts and jails.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee Dies Suddenly at 65
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee passed away of a heart attack early this morning. He was 65.
HUD's New York Leader Suggests Privatizing Public Housing
In The Real Deal, HUD administrator Lynne Patton hints at a 10-point plan for New York and New Jersey.

Can We Know Which Homes in California Will Burn?
As the state's worst wildfire season ever refuses to end, an analyst from UCLA considers how land use and building codes determine the location and extent of the damage.
Complying With New State Laws on ADUs No Easy Matter
Santa Rosa is struggling to complying with two laws passed last year to encourage construction of inlaw units to increase affordable housing. Council members are concerned that loosened restrictions would degrade neighborhood character.
PlanIt Podcast: Environmental Justice
The latest episode of the 2017 PlanIt Training Program on Comprehensive Plan Updates by the Metropolitan Council, a regional planning agency in the Twin Cities area.
New California Housing Laws Not Well Received Locally
City council members of Burlingame, a small, affluent suburb south of San Francisco, are not happy with new laws that take away their discretion to reject developments that fail to meet "neighborhood character" criteria, but meet zoning requirements.
Syracuse Tries a New Approach to Code Enforcement
A new code compliance program in Syracuse makes community engagement a priority.

The Final Days of 'Level of Service' in California's Environmental Review Process
A long-awaited draft update of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has finally been released, and Level of Service will finally be a thing of the past in the next two to four years.

Big Push for Congestion Pricing Expected Early Next Year in New York
Ten years after former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan died on the state Assembly floor, expect to see a similar plan revived by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.). New York Times metro reporter, Winnie Hu, explains why it never died.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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