Housing

Vancouver Skyline

Vancouver Launching its First Citywide Plan Since 1928

The Vancouver City Council decided to launch a new housing vision for the British Columbia city. Planners will have their work cut out for them balancing all the stakeholders in the expensive city.

November 18, 2018 - The Star

San Francisco

How San Francisco Ran Out of Affordable Housing Funds, and What to Do About It

Analysis and policy recommendations from Bay Area-based think tank SPUR focuses on how poorly designed inclusionary zoning the exact opposite of the desired effect.

November 18, 2018 - SPUR

Downtown Kansas City Missouri

Kansas City Trying New Approaches to Affordable Housing

After years of neglecting its affordable housing policy, Kansas City is developing a new five-year vision on policy matters like a public-private trust fund and inclusionary zoning.

November 17, 2018 - Next City

Cedar Rapids Flooding

Flood Risk and Community Resiliency

An analysis of how flooding, the most frequent and costliest natural disaster in the U.S., will cause stress to the housing market in coming decades.

November 16, 2018 - Penn IUR Urban Link

Boston Ferry

Airbnb Suing Boston Over New Regulations

The front lines of the short-term rental wars shift to the city of Boston.

November 15, 2018 - The Boston Globe

Shenzhen Crumbling Buildings

Speculation Leaves 50 Million Homes Empty in China

Experts say China has the highest vacancy rate on residential units of any country in the world. The roots of the problem lay in housing speculation, according to China's leaders.

November 14, 2018 - Bloomberg

Gated House

Real Estate in the U.S.: More and More 'Million-Dollar Neighborhoods'

A new report from Trulia reveals the quickly increasing number of neighborhoods in the country that have a median home price touching seven figures.

November 13, 2018 - Curbed

Residential Development

Citing Lack of ADU Development, Ann Arbor to Refine its ADU Ordinance

After legalizing accessory dwelling units in 2016, the city of Ann Arbor hasn't added many accessory dwelling units. Some regulations designed to limit the number of ADUs developed have made the building type impossibly cost prohibitive.

November 13, 2018 - MLive

Homelessness

Veteran Homelessness on the Rise Again in Expensive Cities

The news about veteran homelessness rising in expensive cities might come as a surprise, after years of reported progress.

November 12, 2018 - How Housing Matters

Smart Home

Net-Zero Energy Homes Use Technology to Work With the Energy Grid

A housing development near Tampa will have high-tech smart homes with grid-optimized solar power.

November 12, 2018 - Fast Company

Clearwater Florida

New Urbanists and New Housing

The Charter of the New Urbanism favors infill development, yet new urbanists sometimes oppose infill, especially in historic urban areas. This post speculates on why that might be the case.

November 11, 2018 - Michael Lewyn

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Granny Flats Take on the Los Angeles Homelessness Crisis

A program financed by Bloomberg Philanthropies will pay homeowners to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and rent them to the recently homeless.

November 9, 2018 - The New York Times

For Rent

Rent Control Rejected in California, But the Debate Is Far From Over

An opinion piece in CityLab reiterates the body of research showing evidence that rent control is not an effective tool in reducing housing costs.

November 9, 2018 - CityLab

South Carolina

Seeking Mixed-Income Housing Developers in Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina is concerned about the lack of affordable housing in its city, potentially making it difficult for fire fighters, teachers, and more to afford to live in the community.

November 9, 2018 - WIS News

New Orleans

Inclusionary Zoning Under Consideration in New Orleans

The New Orleans City Planning Commission recently released a report recommending three "potentially mandatory" inclusionary zoning initiatives. The city is working against a deadline from the governor.

November 9, 2018 - Gambit

Homelessness

San Francisco's Voter-Approved Tax to Aid the Homeless Could Face Litigation

In California, 60 percent of a public vote isn't usually enough to approve a new tax.

November 8, 2018 - Associated Press

Los Angeles

CDBG Funds Not Useful Focus for Zoning Reform

Linking zoning reform mandates to CDBG funding is not an effective way to change exclusionary zoning.

November 8, 2018 - Brookings

Vote

Election 2018 Results: Local and State Land Use, Transportation, Housing, and Infrastructure

Election results from every corner of the country.

November 7, 2018 - James Brasuell

Vancouver Skyline Bikes

New Vancouver Council Plotting to Rescind Recently Approved Zoning Changes

Local elections have consequences.

November 7, 2018 - Vancouver Courier

Los Angeles Little Tokyo

L.A. Decides to Keep Short-Term Rentals Out of Rent Controlled Apartments

A City Council decision on short-term rental regulations reverses the decision of the City Planning Commission.

November 7, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

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.