Housing

As Vacancy Rates Climb in New York's Rental Market, Landlords Blame New Rent Control Law
Vacancy rates in New York City have climbed to unexpected heights in 2020, and landlords aren't pinning all the blame on a pandemic-induced urban exodus.

Wall Street Wagering on a Permanent Suburban Renter Class
Expectations that the economic downturn of the COVID-19 pandemic will create a wave of homeowners leaving the market, whether by choice or necessity, are driving big acquisitions by private equity firms and Wall Street investors.

Affordable Housing Project Fails From Community Opposition in Honolulu
The final demise of a closely watched, controversial affordable housing project was reported this week in Honolulu.

Rezoning a Wealthy Neighborhood in the Name of Equity
An opinion piece makes the case that a rezoning proposal for the Brooklyn neighborhood of Gowanus has a higher potential for new affordable housing and lower risk of displacement compared to other rezoning plans in the city.

$1 Billion in New Affordable Housing Funding Announced for Canada
The federal government of Canada is promising to help cities pay for affordable housing.

The Causes of California's Development Malaise
A spate of recent articles has taken a critical look at the regulatory obstacles to a progrssive planning vision in the state of California.

New Gig Economy Player: Eviction Crews For Hire
A new company called Civvl is hiring contract workers to help evict people during the economic struggles of the pandemic.

Inclusionary Zoning Sought by Toronto's Chief Planner
Gregg Lintern, chief planner and executive director of the City Planning Division for Toronto, went before a city committee this week to press for a new inclusionary zoning scheme to ensure the construction of affordable housing.

Permanent Supportive Housing Works for the Chronically Homeless, Study Says
A groundbreaking study provides some of the strongest evidence yet of the powerful results of permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless.

NoHo and SoHo Rezoning Controversies, Amplified
One of the big questions of planning is up for debate with a proposed rezoning in the SoHo and NoHo neighborhoods of New York City: Can upzoning be an effective tool for affordability?

The High Cost of Rampant Evictions: $315 Million a Year in Harris County, Texas
Evictions incur immense costs for the public and nonprofit sector, according to new analysis from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research.

An Online Portal for Designing Accessory Dwelling Units
The ADUniverse website offers pre-approved designs for homeowners who want to add Accessory Dwelling Units on properties in Seattle.

The Hypocrisies and Troubles of Local Control
President Trump has opinions about the sanctity of local control that don't agree with his other opinions about local control. This is a cautionary tale.

Landlords Facing Loss of Property and Income During Eviction Bans
Independent landlords struggle to keep up with the cost of rental units and continue to face massive income drops caused by eviction moratoriums. Some of them are pushing back.

Phoenix Eviction and Foreclosure Rates Doubled the National Average—Then the Pandemic Hit
A new report looks at pre-existing foreclosure and eviction rates to predict where the worst outcomes of the pandemic's economic downturn for homeowners and renters are likely to happen.

Formerly Redlined Neighborhoods Have Higher COVID-19 Prevalence, Study Says
Add COVID-19 to the list of long-term consequences of the racist and discriminatory regulatory and lending practices of the 20th century.

It's Time to Move On From Community Consensus
Public meetings often disprove the notion that communities have a unified stance on any issue. With this in mind, we must move past trying to find consensus and focus on uplifting the most marginalized voices.

Obama Library Displacement Concerns: City Council Falls Short of Local Demands
The Chicago City Council has approved an ordinance intended to protect residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the planned Barack Obama Presidential Center.

Opinion: Denver Needs New Direction on Housing
A Denver writer calls attention to the city's worsening housing affordability, gentrification, and displacement challenges, and prescribes a YIMBY response.

States Use CARES Act Funds to Keep Renters Afloat
More than a dozen states are using Community Development Block Grant funding from the CARES Act to fund emergency rental and mortgage assistance programs.
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