Housing

Basement Apartment

Security Deposit Alternatives: The Misleading Marketing of 'Renter's Choice'

Dozens of cities and states are considering legislation allowing alternatives to upfront security deposits, such as "security deposit insurance." The only problem? It's not actually insurance.

December 17, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Suburban Seattle

Citywide Zoning Reform Approved in Everett

Few cities are accomplishing such a swift and sweeping overhaul of its land use regulations as Everett, Washington, which just wrapped up its second major planning initiative in as many years on its way to launching a third.

December 17, 2020 - The Urbanist

A private club located in Florida

Locals Say Trump Can't Live at Mar-a-Lago

And they have the receipts.

December 17, 2020 - The Washington Post

Texas State Capital

Austin Hopes to Buck Tradition with Anti-Gentrification Measures in its New Transit Plan

Project Connect promises to prioritize equity and inclusion with $300 million dedicated to anti-displacement efforts.

December 17, 2020 - City Monitor

Senior Woman Washing Vegetables

Age-Friendly Columbus Offers Solutions for Aging Cities

Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County, a program of The Ohio State University College of Social Work, celebrated five years of community engagement and advocacy aimed at improving quality of life for older adults.

December 16, 2020 - NextCity

Oakland Apartment Building

New California Bond Program Promotes Affordability for Middle-Income Renters

The California Statewide Communities Development Authority hopes that a new program, which helps cities purchase rental properties with no upfront cost, will lead to an increase in affordable middle-income housing.

December 16, 2020 - Next City

Missing Middle Housing

Statewide Zoning Changes Adopted in Oregon to Limit Parking, Add Missing Middle

The state of Oregon made planning history in 2019 by adopting House Bill 2001, paving the way for the state to preempt local exclusionary zoning laws. Now, over a year later, the state land use board has decided how to implement that goal.

December 15, 2020 - Sightline Institute

Building Trades

New Market-Rate Housing Lowers Rents for Everyone, According to New Research

A study published by a German researcher adds ammunition to the cause of improving housing affordability by legalizing and building new supply.

December 15, 2020 - City Observatory

Gaslamp Quarter

San Diego Considers Cutting Short-Term Rentals by Half

In a bid to address concerns about vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods, the San Diego Planning Commission recommends cutting the number of short-term rentals in the city in half.

December 14, 2020 - San Diego Union-Tribune

Construction

Do Americans Want More Housing, or More Zoning?

The answer depends on how the question is phrased.

December 14, 2020 - Michael Lewyn

Mount Rainier

Sweeping Zoning Reforms Adopted in Olympia

The Olympia, Washington City Council adopted a new Housing Options Code Amendments ordinance, effectively eliminating single-family zoning in the city.

December 13, 2020 - The Olympian

Rental Apartments

Three Considerations for Planning for the Most Effective Rent Relief Program, Even with Limited Resources

With the upcoming expiration of unemployment insurance programs and the end of the nationwide eviction moratorium, Brookings fellow Jenny Schuetz shares insight on how to implement the most effective rent relief programs.

December 10, 2020 - Brookings

Connecticut

Local Zoning Controversy Raises Bigger Questions About Race and Discrimination

A zoning application in the city of Woodbridge, Connecticut has interests on both sides of the issue lawyering up, and the reverberations from the controversy reach all the way to the state capital.

December 10, 2020 - CT Post

Maryland

Zoning Changes Would Allow Transit-Oriented Multi-Family Development in Montgomery County

Montgomery County, Maryland wants to put its zoning where its transit is—it's just the latest in a string of transit-oriented land use reforms for the famously suburban county.

December 9, 2020 - Bethesda Magazine

Montgomery County

Montgomery County Charts a New Path with 'Thrive 2050'

A new plan under development in Montgomery County, Maryland plots a course change for the famously suburban county.

December 8, 2020 - Greater Greater Washington

COVID-19

Nine Months Later: How the Pandemic Is Changing Communities

Planetizen shares the latest in a series of compendia tackling the effects of the pandemic, now and in the future, for cities and communities.

December 8, 2020 - James Brasuell

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta to Tackle Affordability by Zoning Reform

A new initiative designed to implement the goals of the One Atlanta Housing Affordability Action Plan was announced last week in Atlanta.

December 7, 2020 - The Atlanta Voice

COVID-19 Eviction Crisis

Evictions Caused 433,700 Excess Covid Infections, 10,700 Deaths, Study Says

A new study connects evictions to the spread of the coronavirus. Evictions continued in huge numbers during the pandemic despite a patchwork of eviction protections at multiple layers of government.

December 4, 2020 - Curbed

Cash Buyout

New Law Protects Homeowners From Wholesale Buyers in Philly

The new law won't stop the forces of gentrification, but it should stop one of gentrification's most pernicious symptoms.

December 3, 2020 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Washington

City Council Rejects Rezoning Approved by Planning Commission, Planning Staff

It's a tale as old as time: A plan to rezone ten acres of land in Spokane splits the public and the City Council from the opinions of the city's planning staff and Planning Commission.

December 3, 2020 - The Spokesman-Review

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.