Housing
Rising Labor Costs and Higher Construction Costs for Homes
Labor costs vary greatly throughout the country, but wages are rising in the construction industry, especially in cities like San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.
Most Popular Planning Articles of 2018
We crunched the numbers on all the features, blog posts, and news articles we published in 2018 to figure out which made the biggest splash with readers.
British Columbia's Climate Plan Bans Sales of Gas and Diesel Passenger Vehicles by 2040
Ten years ago, British Columbia launched North America's first carbon tax. This month, Premier John Horgan unveiled the long awaited climate plan, CleanBC, that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 2007 levels by 2030.
Zoning Changes May Be Coming to Atlanta
The city is considering zoning updates, including legalization of accessory dwelling units and smaller apartment buildings, which would increase density and provide more housing.
Year in Review: The APA's Advocacy Work in Washington, D.C.
The APA noted that the 115th Congress was "marked by divisive rhetoric, partisan stalemates, and threats to programs on which local communities rely." At the end of the year, however, it could still celebrate substantial victories.
Lamenting the Decline of Caracas, Once the 'Jewel of Latin America'
"A generation ago, Venezuela’s capital was one of Latin America’s most thriving, glamorous cities; an oil-fuelled, tree-lined cauldron of culture that guidebooks hailed as a mecca for foodies, night owls and art fans."
Japan Offers Up Free Abandoned Houses
Due to an aging populace, lackluster construction quality, and other factors, Japan is facing a glut of abandoned homes. For those with the ability to live there, these homes can be had for next to nothing.
How D.C. Made Housing Vouchers Work
To provide affordable housing to meet the demand, DCHA has worked to make the housing voucher process easier for landlords.
Report: Homelessness on the Rise in the United States, Again
A new federal report finds a few reasons for optimism in a nationwide homeless count, but the numbers of homeless in the United States have grown for the second year in a row.
University of Washington Gets Approval for Major Expansion
With several stipulations, Seattle City Council has signed off on the university's plans for up to 6 million square feet of new construction, including high-rises.
Chicago's 606 Bike Path Made Gentrification Inevitable, Expert Claims
Because the rails to trails project left housing up to the market, rising rents were inevitable, claims a new report.
Rebuilding Paradise: Time to Consider Sewers
Paradise is the largest incorporated city west of the Mississippi River lacking a public sewer system. The town of of 27,000 relies on septic systems, now potentially damaged. Without sewers, multi-family housing construction becomes more difficult.
Zillow to Start Flipping Homes in California
Tech companies that use algorithms to make rapid offers on a large scale are growing players in the U.S. housing market.
Is PHIMBY Realistic?
Government-subsidized housing is a useful complement to market-rate housing, but an affordability strategy that relies solely on low-income housing may be impractical.
The 'Goldilocks' Problem of Housing Supply
All over the country, housing markets are faced with too much supply, too little supply, and just the right of supply.
A Transit-Oriented Parking Reform Proposal in San Diego
Under a new plan proposed by the mayor of San Diego, new developments in transit-rich parts of the city would no longer require parking.
Pittsburgh's New Housing Opportunity Fund in Action
The city of Pittsburgh has a new resource for funding affordable housing projects.
Proposed Law Would Empower Section 8 Voucher Users
A law under consideration in San Jose would prohibit landlords from disallowing Section 8 voucher users, though landlords could still turn away renters based on other criteria.
Oregon to Consider Statewide Ban of Single-Family Zoning
Legislation in Oregon would follow the lead of Minneapolis in overturning single-family zoning—for all cities in the state with more than 10,000 residents.
Gas Stations, Other Car-Centric Uses Banned From Transit-Oriented Areas in Sacramento
The city of Sacramento has implemented one of the most aggressively transit-oriented land use regulation schemes in the country.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
