Housing

D.C. Housing Authority Plans to Refinance Thousands of Homes
Facing a difficult financial situation, the authority plans to refinance about a third of its homes.

The Case Against Rent Control
Rent control is gaining popularity in cities and states around the country. Some economists urge caution when considering this form of tenant protection.

The Rise of Inclusionary Zoning as the Preferred Housing Policy Compromise
Everything you've ever wanted to know about inclusionary zoning: its history, its position in the debate about the future of cities, and its promise as a solution to the nation's housing crisis.

Columbus Considers Its First Community Land Trust
Citing a dire housing situation for low-income renters, Columbus, Ohio is considering its first community land trust. The aim is to create housing alternatives for low-income residents of revitalizing neighborhoods.

Buildings Full of Empty Apartments Pose Problems in China
Failed investments and buildings with no tenants sit on the outskirts of Beijing and Shanghai.

Nation's Largest Student Housing Project Breaks Ground
Located at the University of California, Davis, The Green at West Village is set to house nearly 3,300 students. The development includes nine four-story buildings, community space, and recreational fields.

Proposed Law Would Prevent Downzonings in California
A proposed state law, SB 330, would make it remove some local control of land use regulations by making it very difficult to downzone.

Mapped: Chicago's Shrinking Middle Class
In 1970, half of the city's census tracts were middle-income. Now, only 16 percent of them remain so. Polarization between the well-off and the poor essentially splits the city in two.

High-Speed Rail Galvanized Development in San Francisco's Transbay District
Even as prospects for high-speed trains dim in California, San Francisco's Transbay Transit Center has already spurred a development spree in the surrounding area.
Grant Recipients to Study Michigan's Eviction Rate
Two urban and regional planning faculty at the University of Michigan's Taubman College, Assistant Professor Robert Goodspeed and Professor Emerita Margaret Dewar, were awarded a grant to study data on evictions in Michigan.

Fake Airbnb Listings, Brought to You by Artificial Intelligence
This Airbnb Does Not Exist uses real Airbnb listings to make computer generated fakes.

Anti-Displacement Policies Proposed by Seattle Politicians
The mayor and a councilmember both made potentially sweeping proposals to address displacement as the city moves forward with plans to upzone neighborhoods, in keeping with the Mandatory Housing Affordability policy.

Glendale, California Passes 'Right-to-Lease' Ordinance
To combat displacement, Glendale authorized a new ordinance requiring that landlords offer year-long leases to existing tenants and capping rent hikes.

Berkeley to Study Missing Middle Housing Options for Single-Family Residential Neighborhoods
The city of Berkeley, famed for its radical left politics in the 1960s, is now considered a bastion of anti-development obstructionism. Those politics could be changing, however.

Oregon First State to Implement Statewide Rent Control
Democratic legislators made short work of a huge shift in housing policy.

HUD Program to Connect Low-Income Housing Tax Credits in Opportunity Zones
A new program announced by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson is designed to encourage Opportunity Zone investments that address poverty and underinvestment.

Tax Breaks Offered in Exchange for Affordable Housing in Downtown Phoenix
The state of Arizona doesn't allow local jurisdictions to charge affordable housing fees for new developments, so the city of Phoenix is offering tax breaks as an incentive instead.

ADU Results Fall Short of Intentions in D.C. Region
Accessory dwelling unit regulations vary but results are consistently underwhelming in the D.C. region.

Boston Plans to Put $26 Million Toward Affordable Housing Projects
A new initiative will fund 10 new developments as the city works to increase available affordable housing.

Seattle Could Be at the Forefront of the Mass Timber Industry
Cross-laminated timber offers a multitude of environmental and economic benefits. With the state’s resources and Seattle’s construction needs, the city is the ideal location for mass timber production to take off.
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