Housing

A Dark Night for the Right to Housing Movement
After a string of high-profile successes in places as geographically distant as Philadelphia and the East Bay Area, an ugly episode in L.A. County the day before Thanksgiving dealt a brutal setback to the burgeoning right to housing movement.

On Rent Control and a Green New Deal, Portland, Maine Voters Go Where Others Don't Dare
Rent control was dealt another high-profile setback in California, and the Green New Deal is a hot button issue stuck in limbo in Congress. Both efforts got the go-ahead from voters in Portland, Maine in November.

Accessory Dwelling Units Gain Legislative Momentum in Denver
Accessory dwelling units, also known as granny flats or mother-in-law units, gained a critical foothold in Denver earlier this month, and the Denver City Council is already maneuvering for more.

Cascadia Expects Millions of New Residents. Should it Build New Cities or New Density?
A recent report calls for the region stretching from Oregon to British Columbia to think big about accommodating expected population growth. The report's recommendation to build four new, large cities isn't universally accepted, however.

The Top Urban Planning Books of 2020
The public health crisis of the coronavirus pandemic upended all the normal day-today routines this year. At least there are plenty of great urban planning books to read.

Vancouver Again Raises its Empty Homes Tax
The Vancouver Empty Homes Tax will soon be three times as high as it was when adopted in 2017.

Flooded: How Natural Disasters Lead to Predatory Lending in the Rio Grande Valley
The devastation that communities in the Rio Grande Valley face is twofold: the initial destruction of the floods and the cycle of debt and poverty as a result of predatory loans.

Anaheim Tries a New Approach for 1,000 New Units of Workforce Housing
Many cities in California are too expensive for the firefighters, teachers, and nurses that provide essential professional services. Anaheim is hoping to leverage a new statewide program to put a significant dent in that housing challenge.

'Seriously Delinquent' Mortgages Explode, But Don't Expect a Great Recession-Style Meltdown
More and more homeowners are falling behind on mortgage payments as the pandemic lingers, according to recent market data.

Cleveland Has Yet to Recover From the Last Recession
Decades of racist policy and a lack of critical resources have left Cleveland in a perpetual state of economic fragility. The city can't afford another recession.

The Unfounded Fears of Affordable Housing Opposition
Neither evidence nor experience support the fearful visions expressed by opponents to affordable housing development, according to a recent feature article for the New York Times.

The Legacy of Structural Poverty in Alabama
In rural Alabama, a long history of racial inequality and poverty has left people struggling to survive in uninhabitable housing.

State Audit Faults California's Affordable Housing Development Processes
The California State Auditor's office is proposing an overhaul of the state's approach to affordable housing development, citing the cost burdens of the housing market as proof of the necessity for change.

Tiny Homes Village Planned in St. Louis
St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson hopes to use CARES Act funding to 50 new homes for homeless living in the city.

Searching for a Path to Legalized Rooming Houses
Toronto could legalize rooming houses, also known as multi-tenant or lodging houses, in an effort to bring the city's many unpermitted examples of this low-income affordable housing type up to humane standards of health and safety.

Moms 4 Housing Founders Elected to Office in the East Bay
Two leaders of Moms 4 Housing, which has grown to a national housing movement, have been elected to office in Oakland and Berkeley.

National Rent Debt Projected to Reach $7.2 Billion by the End of 2020
The weight of the pandemic is hanging around millions of renters' necks.

Massachusetts Showed States How to Create an Eviction Ban. Now It’s Backpedaling
The Massachusetts eviction moratorium—one of the strongest in the nation—expired, just in time for winter. How did this happen?

Lessons From Rent Control's Latest Election Rejection
California voters, with a reputation for liberal politics, have repeatedly refused to approve statewide rent control laws at the ballot box.

One Key, Underappreciated Affordable Housing Strategy: Repairing Existing Homes
The city of Philadelphia offers a case study for the challenges and potential benefits of home repair programs.
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Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie