Housing

Why Bother with Community Engagement?
What is the highest purpose of community engagement? Why do some planners go all out to hear from the public? This article dives into these questions based on nine interviews conducted at APA 2016.

The Top Housing Trends For 2017
An article listing the top five housing trends for 2017, as predicted by the National Association of Realtors.

What Happened When Berlin Tried Rent Control?
Enacted in 2015, Berlin's "Mietpreisbremse" ordinance limits rent increases on some (but not all) apartments. According to this study, results have not been ideal.

Maryland Program Looks to Put Student Loan Debtors in Homes
A novel initiative called Maryland SmartBuy aims to help those with student loan debt buy homes.

Friday Eye Candy: Turning Gentrification Data Into Art
Herwig Scherabon is a graphic designer featured this week in The Guardian.

Developers Clash Over Newport Beach High-Rise Project
Developers and concerned residents tussle in Orange County, California, as a property meant to host an art museum moves toward redevelopment as high-rise luxury condos instead.

Malign Neglect? Urban Policy in the Trump Era
How much do we have to fear from the president-elect's policy plans for urban America? We can hope that he will follow his party's playbook and largely ignore the cities, but potential changes to housing policy are more serious.

Rising Rents, Stagnant Economy
Since the 1970s, many American cities have played host to rising rents and stagnant incomes. Richard Florida writes about how the "great rent squeeze" might be choking the country's economic prospects.

Salida, Colorado: National Leader in the Development of Tiny Homes
Allowing the development of a planned community of 200 rental units, ranging from 200 to 800 square feet, will earn a position among the nation's most progressive land use policies.
An Argument for Pairing By-Right Zoning With Form-Based Codes
Opticos Design believes by-right zoning and form-based codes can be a win-win for communities.

Study: New Low-Income Housing Has No Effect for Nearby Property Values
A new study by Trulia casts doubt on the fears of neighborhood activists resistant to the idea of low-income housing.

Op-Ed: Build a Dense Wilshire Corridor to Ease L.A.'s Housing Woes
Thom Mayne proposes a radical solution to Los Angeles' affordability/preservation problem: build up transit-friendly areas far beyond current densities, and leave the rest unchanged.

Philly's Healthy Rowhouse Project Adds a New Low-Interest Loan Program
Philadelphia seeks $60 million bond issue to preserve existing affordable homes and improve residents' health. City seeks to offer city loan guarantee to embolden lenders to extend credit to homeowners with lower credit scores.

Airbnb Drops Lawsuit with the State of New York
The frontline of the ongoing battle between Airbnb and government regulators shifts from Albany to New York City.

The San Francisco Bay Area Voted for a Sustainable, Inclusive Future
We can’t simply rely on the federal government to solve the San Francisco Bay Area’s challenges. Time and time again, we have turned to local do-it-yourself solutions. This year, voters rolled up their sleeves and took matters into their own hands.
Affordable Housing Aimed at Artists Cropping Up In LA.
Los Angeles is building several affordable housing projects for artists.

Debunking Seattle's 'Housing Shortage'
A post examining common responses to the question of why the cost of housing continues to rise requires a frank discussion about the nature of Seattle's "housing shortage."

Rents Falling at the Upper End of New York's Real Estate Market
The construction of thousands of rental apartments in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens are credited with driving down costs at the upper end of the New York City rental market.

Tesco Plans to Sell Air Rights For Housing Development Above Its Stores
To help its bottom line, struggling UK retailer Tesco is planning to open up its parking lots and the space above its stores for new housing development.
New Ohio Law Fast Tracks Foreclosures for Vacant Properties
The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland provides an early assessment of a new foreclosure law in Ohio designed to help reduce vacant and blighted properties in the state.
Pagination
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions