Housing
What Makes Affordable Housing Green?
There's no one way to determine what makes “green” housing. Here's a breakdown of the standards and considerations used by the affordable housing industry.
Sober House Zoning Violations Prompt Questions
A sober living house in Maryland has been repeatedly fined by the city for operating as a boarding house, begging the question, where can these facilities be located?
LA Officials Struggle to Enforce Short-Term Rental Rules
Hundreds of rent-controlled units are being illegally rented out as short-term rentals, pushing out long-term renters and exacerbating the city’s housing crisis.
NYC Lawmaker Proposes Mandatory Cooling Law
Despite hundreds of heat-related deaths every year, the city has no regulations on cooling in residential units.
Project 2025 and Housing Policy
The Heritage Foundation has issued Project 2025, a list of policy proposals for the next Republican administration. On housing, it seems to embody a range of perspectives.
San Francisco Bans Rent Fixing Software
The Board of Supervisors unanimously supported a bill that bars landlords from using software that critics say facilitates collusion between landlords.
July’s Must Reads: Top 10 Articles from Last Month
In case you missed them, here were the biggest urban planning news items, features, and blogs from last month, including 15 new Amtrak routes, Florida’s EV law, California’s rail update, fare-free buses in Tucson, and more.
Beating Extreme Heat Through Community Efforts
U.S. cities don't provide residents with enough protection against heat, the deadliest weather-related killer in the world. In New York City, one organization came together to distribute ACs to neighbors in need.
A Place to Recover from Illness: How Medical Respite Programs Help Unhoused People Heal
For people experiencing homelessness, recuperating after a hospitalization is difficult. Medical respite programs can help. Why aren't they more common?
The Challenges of Building Middle-Income Housing
An affordable housing developer explains the hurdles to building more housing for middle-income households.
ADU Construction Flourishing in Los Angeles County
The boom is happening in some unexpected areas.
‘Growing MKE’ Zoning Reform Plan Would Expand Milwaukee Housing Options
Proponents of the plan say the changes would help reverse decades of discriminatory housing policies.
Kissimmee Considering Garage Conversion Program
Homeowners could get city support for converting garages to residential units.
Colorado Church Fights for Right to Provide Housing
A church in Castle Rock, Colorado is suing the city, pointing out the lack of shelter options for unhoused residents in the area.
Big Island Airbnb Operators Call for Economic Impact Study
As the Hawai’i County Council debates new regulations governing short-term rentals, it is requesting a study on how the industry impacts local residents and businesses.
Nashville Zoning Reform Opens Commercial, Retail Zones to Housing
An ordinance expanding ‘adaptive residential development’ could lead to thousands of new housing units.
Milwaukee Could Impose Owner Occupancy Rules on Short-Term Rentals
The city could tighten regulations on short-term rentals, many of which remain unregistered despite rules requiring permits.
Expanding the Concept of Transit-Oriented Development: Lessons from Abroad
Keeping transit planning and development siloed can limit opportunities to build affordable housing and vibrant neighborhoods.
Study: ‘Sweeps’ Don’t Impact Homelessness
A study of three Los Angeles neighborhoods revealed that ‘cleanups’ of encampments don’t result in fewer people on the streets.
In Upstate New York, the Fight for ‘Good Cause’ Continues
This week, Ithaca became the latest city to opt into New York’s new Good Cause Eviction Law. What are tenant organizers doing to make the law work better for their communities?
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
