Housing

Floodplain Development Largely Concentrated in Gulf Coast States
Many U.S. cities use ‘routine’ practices like zoning changes and permitting to discourage development in high-risk flood zones.

Chattanooga Offers Free Land for Affordable Housing
The city plans to distribute 11 properties to affordable housing builders.

Gov. Newsom Signs Housing Bills Aimed at ‘Original Sin’ of Affordability
A package of 32 bills could help make housing more available and affordable in California.

California Law Bars Parking Mandates Near Transit
Local governments are prohibited from requiring parking spaces at new developments where transit is readily available.

9 New Jersey Mayors Sue Over State Affordable Housing Law
Plaintiffs claim the new state law strips local control of growth, but affordable housing advocates say the lawsuit is just a delay tactic.

California Law Would Streamline Adaptive Reuse Process
A bill passed by the state senate would ease the permitting process for office conversions in central city neighborhoods.

Report: BC Rents Down in Wake of New Short-Term Rental Rules
As municipal and provincial regulations clamp down on Airbnb and other short-term rental operators, rent costs are dropping ‘significantly.’

San Francisco Scrambles to Build Shelters Faster
Mayor Breed directed city officials to double its shelter expansion goal.

SoCal City Defies State, Extending Homeless Shelter Ban
The Norwalk City Council voted to extend a ban on shelter facilities days after receiving a warning from state officials that the ban violates state housing laws.

Can Zoning Reform Save Pittsburgh’s Affordable Housing?
With home sale prices growing faster than anywhere in the country, the Steel City could enact major reforms to boost density and lower housing costs.

Thousands of Affordable Housing Units Planned Near New Haven Train Station
The proposal could breathe new life into a long-neglected area near a heavily trafficked Amtrak station.

San Francisco Could Ban Overnight RV Parking
Advocates say the proposal would further destabilize the lives of people forced to live in their vehicles.

DOJ: ‘Nuisance’ Evictions Could Break Federal Law
Ordinances that allow landlords to evict tenants for nuisance complaints or alleged criminal activity may run afoul of federal protections, the DOJ warns.

California Bill Clarifies ‘Builder’s Remedy’
New laws eliminate the murky, ‘free-for all’ approach to the policy, letting developers continue to build new housing projects under stricter guidelines.

Farmworker Housing Program Excludes Many Agricultural Workers
Income restrictions make some farmworkers ineligible for workforce housing, but affordable rural housing remains largely out of reach.

Office Vacancies Drag Down Property Taxes
Downtown office buildings around the country are selling for much lower prices than before the pandemic, prompting questions about the future of central business districts.

Texas Needs 300,000 Housing Units to Close Affordability Gap
The state’s comptroller warns that demand will continue to outpace supply without zoning reforms and a reduction in regulatory barriers.

California Cities Intensify Criminalization of Unhoused Residents
Following a key Supreme Court ruling, some cities are imposing more restrictive laws on outdoor sleeping and encampments.

Only Two US Metro Areas Are Affordable for Homebuyers
Northeast Ohio is the last remaining bastion of housing affordability, according to an analysis from the National Association of Realtors.

Mall Redevelopment in Silicon Valley
Dead malls across the Bay Area are being transformed into R&D centers, housing, and transportation hubs.
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