Housing

Texas Townhomes

'Missing Middle' Housing and the Expected Millennial Exodus

The Washington Post examines "missing middle" housing as a solution for retaining millennials in cities and interior suburbs. There is still some question, however, about whether millennials are actually leaving urban areas.

December 12, 2017 - The Washington Post

Full House Painted Ladies

Real Estate Industry Wants to Expand Prop. 13 Property Tax Breaks

A proposed ballot initiative in California would extend the property tax limits offered by Proposition 13 as a lifetime benefit to homeowners over age 55 or severely disabled—even if they move to a new home in another part of the state.

December 11, 2017 - The Mercury News

Prospect Hill Park, Waltham, MA

Massachusetts Governor Sets a Housing Development Agenda

The state of Massachusetts has set a goal to add 135,000 new housing units over the next eight years. To achieve that goal, the state will provide incentives for cities that streamline development approval.

December 11, 2017 - The Boston Globe

HUD's New York Leader Suggests Privatizing Public Housing

In The Real Deal, HUD administrator Lynne Patton hints at a 10-point plan for New York and New Jersey.

December 11, 2017 - The Real Deal

Complying With New State Laws on ADUs No Easy Matter

Santa Rosa is struggling to complying with two laws passed last year to encourage construction of inlaw units to increase affordable housing. Council members are concerned that loosened restrictions would degrade neighborhood character.

December 11, 2017 - The Press Democrat

Los Angeles

A Sermon for the Homeless

A recent conference hosted by the American Institute of Architects in Los Angeles shined a light on efforts to reduce homelessness in Los Angeles—and demonstrated just how much work must be done nationwide to solve this humanitarian crisis.

December 10, 2017 - Josh Stephens

New California Housing Laws Not Well Received Locally

City council members of Burlingame, a small, affluent suburb south of San Francisco, are not happy with new laws that take away their discretion to reject developments that fail to meet "neighborhood character" criteria, but meet zoning requirements.

December 8, 2017 - The Daily Journal

Mt. Rainier

Census: Seattle Quickly Ascending the Ranks of Most Expensive Cities to Rent

New American Community Survey Data reveals the cities where renters are paying the most.

December 7, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Washington, D.C.

VA Reverses Course on Cuts to Popular Homeless Veterans Program

The Department of Veterans Affairs prompted outcry when it told advocates and its partners at the Department of Housing and Urban Development that it would cut $460 million for long-term housing for homeless veterans.

December 7, 2017 - The Washington Post

Suburban Neighborhood

'Infinite Suburbia' Upends Everything We Know About Suburbia

Joel Kotkin and Alan M. Berger discuss their new book, which analyses what the suburbs are and will become, in both the United States and around the world.

December 7, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

High Line Crowds

No, Your City Is Not Overcrowded

One common argument against new housing (especially in Manhattan) is that the city is "overcrowded."

December 6, 2017 - Michael Lewyn

Point Grey

Universities in Canada Have Been Developing Housing Near Campus for Decades

Universities in the Vancouver area and across Canada are developing housing and investing in amenities, and getting a return on investment that helps the bottom line

December 6, 2017 - University Affairs

Eichler

Third Rail of the Housing Debate: More Density in Single-Family Neighborhoods

If California is going to address its chronic housing shortage, single-family residential neighborhoods can no longer be ruled "off limits." Opposition to a small Berkeley subdivision spawned new housing legislation and fostered the YIMBY movement.

December 5, 2017 - The New York Times

British Columbia

Vancouver's New 10-Year Housing Strategy Focuses on Rentals

Vancouver is famous for high-rises and a decidedly urban quality of life, but housing prices are still skyrocketing. A new ten-year housing strategy proposes a few drastic measures to rebalance the market's scales.

December 2, 2017 - Vancouver Sun

Granny Flats for Affordable Housing in West Denver

Like many of the country's sunny and popular cities, Denver is struggling to house its people. Accessory dwelling units, otherwise known as Granny Flats, could be part of a solution to that problem.

December 2, 2017 - The Denver Post

Google Headquarters

Google's Second Headquarters and the Future of San Jose

Amazon isn't the only tech giant building a second headquarters. Google's new offices could change the way companies interact with cities for the better, if they want to.

December 2, 2017 - CityLab

Managing Airbnb: Regulatory Approaches to Short-Term Rentals

Tech ventures like Airbnb have "uberized" the lodging industry. They have also created new challenges for land use planners and government officials. This article provides a sampling of regulatory approaches to short-term rentals.

December 1, 2017 - Maine Association of Planners Front Page

Seattle

Showdown in Seattle: Should Developers Forgo Parking?

A mixed-use project in Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over parking. Activists are fighting rules that let developers omit parking in areas with a certain level of transit service.

November 30, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Prospect Hill Park, Waltham, MA

Housing Growth Stagnates in Boston Suburbs

Boston economists are sounding the alarm: while the city itself is adding plenty of housing, there's not a lot happening in the suburbs. That may adversely affect older folks who want to sell and younger people looking to buy.

November 30, 2017 - The Boston Globe

California

A Proposal to Plan Regionally in the Silicon Valley

Could development fights in the home of the biggest tech companies be avoided if cities just talked to each other?

November 30, 2017 - The Mercury News

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.

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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.