Housing

Jerry Brown

California Housing Battles Pit Older Liberals Against Younger Progressives

It's the old left, many home-owning seniors, against the younger left, many renter millennials when it comes to housing, according to an NBC report that looks at the local political dynamics underpinning the expensive California housing market.

March 4, 2018 - NBC News

Harvey Floods Houston

After Harvey, Texas Tries State-Run Disaster Relief, With Mixed Results

The scale of the housing recovery effort means some jobs normally handles by FEMA have fallen to the Texas General Land Office.

March 3, 2018 - Texas Tribune

California

Debunking the Politics of Progressive NIMBYism

An op-ed raises a damaging point to counter the California-style progressivism that opposes new housing development: "local control is actually bedrock conservatism."

March 2, 2018 - East Bay Express

Real Estate Market

A Vacant Lot in Palo Alto is Asking $5.4 Million—And Will Probably Get It

In an unsettling distillation of the broader housing market, the lot's price rose by $2.3 million in under two years.

March 2, 2018 - Sacramento Bee

Tenants' Rights

The New Tenants' Rights Movement

Tenants' rights advocacy groups around the country are gaining steam, and supporters, as more and more renters are experiencing the shocks of an over-priced housing market.

February 28, 2018 - The Nation

Adaptive Reuse

As New Rental Units Hit the Market, Rent Growth Slows in Pittsburgh

A new report from CBRE analyzing the Pittsburgh rental market lends evidence to the house of pro-supply arguments.

February 28, 2018 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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

Homeownership Rates for Black Americans Unchanged for 50 Years

There has been precious little progress over the past 50 years in bridging gaps of inequality for Black Americans.

February 28, 2018 - The Washington Post

Public Art and Public Space

Op-Ed: To Meet BeltLine's Affordable Housing Goals, Cut the Streetcar Plans

According to one argument, the importance of developing affordable housing is a higher priority for the Atlanta BeltLine than a streetcar. It's a question of scarce funding, and how to spend it to the greatest public benefit.

February 28, 2018 - SaportaReport

Brick Apartments

Affordable Housing Stock and Earthquake Risk

The city of Seattle needs more affordable housing, like most cities. It also has almost 2,000 existing affordable units at "high risk" in the event of an earthquake.

February 27, 2018 - Crosscut

Toronto Construction

Inclusionary Zoning Not Turning Out the Way Ontario Housing Advocates Expected

A proposed inclusionary zoning scheme in Ontario would enable the first examples of the controversial housing policy in Canada.

February 26, 2018 - CityLab

San Francisco Street

Is CEQA the Main Impediment to Housing Construction in California?

According to a new study by UC Berkeley and Columbia University, local land use processes, specifically the approval process, rather than the California Environmental Quality Act, is the main impediment to housing production in California.

February 24, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Construction

Residential Construction, Permitting Spiking in Early 2018

Residential construction activity hummed at a higher level in January 2018 than any point in all of 2017, according to newly released federal data.

February 22, 2018 - Globe St

Sunset

San Francisco's Outer Neighborhoods Fear Change from Housing Bill

Legislation from a former supervisor could transform much of San Francisco, particularly the outer-neighborhoods, by increasing heights and density along transit corridors. Opposition is growing.

February 22, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

Denver, Colorado

'Housing an Inclusive Denver' Plan Approved

The city of Denver has a new five-year housing plan, but the details of housing spending will still play out during an annual process.

February 21, 2018 - The Denver Post

Portland Weird

Inclusionary Zoning Under the Microscope as Housing Development Declines

An inclusionary zoning case study is emerging in Portland. Even if inclusionary zoning isn't broken, it might still need a fix, say local planners.

February 21, 2018 - The Oregonian

Redlining Map

Louisville Council Decision on Housing Development Subject of Discrimination Investigation

The U.S. Department of Justice is taking another look at a development decision made by the Louisville Metro Council in October 2017.

February 21, 2018 - Insider Louisville

Transit Oriented Development

Two Transit Agencies Using Their Clout to Spur Affordable Housing

More transit agencies are recognizing that it's not enough to build transit infrastructure if the people who really need it don't live close enough to use it.

February 20, 2018 - TransitCenter

Sutro Tower

Reevaluating Rent Control

Cities and researchers are reconsidering the effects of the controversial housing policy known as rent control.

February 20, 2018 - Governing

The Mission

Equitable Development in the Mission District

A local nonprofit created a real estate development wing to stem the tide of displacement in San Francisco.

February 20, 2018 - Next City

Minneapolis Stone Arch Bridge

Minneapolis Considering Inclusionary Housing Again

Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender thinks the political calculus has changed for inclusionary zoning—but some critics think inclusionary zoning will be too little too late to make a difference for the city's affordable housing stock.

February 20, 2018 - MinnPost

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.

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.