Housing

HUD

Breaking: HUD Will Rewrite Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule

The Department of Housing and Urban Development will rewrite the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule approved by the Obama administration in 2015. HUD Secretary Ben Carson says the rule is "suffocating" affordable housing development.

August 13, 2018 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Commons Park, Denver

Denver to Raise Sales Tax on Marijuana to Double Funds for Affordable Housing

As Denver continues to grow, the cost of housing in the city remains high for many. In response, the city plans to build 6,000 affordable units over the next five years.

August 13, 2018 - Colorado Springs Gazette

Olympic Mountains

Housing Construction Slows to a Crawl in Seattle's Suburbs

Seattle's suburbs are no longer leading the region in housing construction, even as Seattle's urban core is building more housing than ever.

August 12, 2018 - The Seattle Times

North Carolina

Charlotte's North Tryon Vision Plan Focuses on People, Not Cars

Charlotte's North Tryon Vision Plan is "among the more ambitious long-term urban planning projects in American cities," this article. Released in 2015, the plan's work is not done.

August 11, 2018 - Next City

One World Trade Center

Lack of Affordable Housing Could Stunt New York's Economic Growth

Concern about the city's supply of affordable housing is one of the key messages from the recent "geography of Jobs" report published by the New York Department of City Planning.

August 9, 2018 - The Real Deal

MBTA Green Line

Massachusetts Could Be Next to Tax Short-Term Rentals

Legislation on the verge of approval in Massachusetts would enact a linkage fee, in effect, that would generate revenue for funding affordable housing.

August 8, 2018 - Governing

The gentrifying street-scape of the South Park neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, California

Federal Reserve: New Supply Won't Lower Housing Prices in Expensive Markets

"Prices will march on as they have," even if regulations relax to allow more housing supply in the market, according to a recent study by the Federal Reserve.

August 7, 2018 - Forbes

Capitol Hill

More Federal Legislation to Tackle Housing Affordability Proposed

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has introduced legislation that would tie federal funding to pro-development policies at the local level.

August 6, 2018 - The American Prospect

Vacant Land Languishes in the High-Priced Market of Oakland, California

Oakland property prices have gone way up, but vacant land can be found all over the city. Hayley Raetz argues getting development on this land should be a policy priority.

August 6, 2018 - Terner Center for Housing Innovation

Skyline

NYC Planning Director Marissa Lago Touts Regional Planning

Marisa Lago pens in an opinion piece supporting a regional approach to planning, timed for the release of a new "Geography of Jobs" report.

August 6, 2018 - Medium

New York City

'Move to Buffalo' Is No Excuse

One common argument against building new housing in high cost cities is that people priced out of those cities can always move somewhere cheaper. This post responds to that claim.

August 5, 2018 - Michael Lewyn

Boyle Heights

Why L.A.'s Boyle Heights Matters to Anti-Gentrification Activists

The historically Latino working class neighborhood is a frequent touchstone in debates over gentrification in Los Angeles. That history goes back decades and colors residents' perceptions.

August 4, 2018 - BOOM: A Journal of California

Maryland

Montgomery County, Maryland Updates Inclusionary Housing Requirements

New rules will require more affordable housing in affluent areas, but also allow more exceptions.

August 2, 2018 - Bethesda Magazine

New Development

Affordability Trade-offs

Strategies for increasing affordability often involved trade-offs between various goals and impacts. It is important to consider all of these factors when evaluating potential solutions to unaffordability.

August 2, 2018 - Todd Litman

Capitol Hill DC

Construction Versus Conservation: A Local Case Study

In Washington D.C., ZIP code 20003 is split into two distinct areas: fiercely preserved Capitol Hill and the construction-heavy Capitol Riverfront. But where are rents skyrocketing, and what factors go into that equation?

August 2, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

HUD

HUD Took a Strong Stance Against Local Control and Hardly Anyone Noticed

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development devoted an entire issue of a quarterly newsletter to land use regulations and the idea that local laws are strangling the nation's supply of affordable housing.

August 1, 2018 - James Brasuell

U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA)

Debating a Renters' Tax Credit at the Federal Level

Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) recently proposed legislation that would create a refundable tax credit for qualifying rental households.

July 31, 2018 - Next City

A Black woman stands in front of a home holding an umbrella and smiling.

How to Shrink the Racial Homeownership Gap

Following reports that Black Americans owned homes in 2017 than in 1983, banker Teri Williams offers recommendations to diversify homeownership across the United States.

July 30, 2018 - Truthout

Glenwood Green Acres, Philadelphia

Not All Affordable Housing Shortages Are Alike

The city of Philadelphia shows that not all affordability crises are created with the same mix of supply and demand.

July 29, 2018 - PlanPhilly

Apartment Construction

Cheap Rent Could be Another Casualty of the Trade War

Trump’s tariffs on steel and other building materials are driving up building costs slowing development and pushing up rents.

July 28, 2018 - The Boston Globe

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.