Housing

Garden City

Are Garden Cities Sustainable?

The Garden City concept has a long and honorable pedigree within urban planning. Analysis of Sterling Ranch, a master-planned community outside of Denver, Colorado highlights some important issues around social and environmental sustainability.

June 26, 2016 - Dean Saitta

Housing Initiatives to Appear on Northern and Southern California Ballots in November

Last week the Los Angeles City Council and Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved housing initiatives. "Build Better LA" requires large developments to have affordable units. Silicon Valley voters will vote on a $950 million housing bond.

June 26, 2016 - Planetizen

Mayor Proposes Ambitious Housing Plan for Newton, Massachusetts

Mayor Setti Warren has a vision for his city that includes the opportunities that brought his parents to live in the city. That means more housing, affordable to various levels of income.

June 25, 2016 - The Boston Globe

Garbage

Landlords Who Evicted Tenants to Make Space for Airbnb Get Their Day in Court

More than 20,000 rent-controlled units have left the market in Los Angeles since 2001—a problem exacerbated by options for short-term rentals. Now the City Attorney's Office is fighting back.

June 24, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Moving Van

Mapping The Movement of *Some* Millennials

The in-migration of Millennials is largely driving the changes that American cities are going through. More specifically, it is the ones with college degrees who are driving the change. Where are they moving, and what is their effect?

June 24, 2016 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Portland

Planetizen Week in Review: June 24, 2016

The biggest news stories of a big week in planning and land use—all in just over two minutes.

June 24, 2016 - Planetizen

Homeless Encampment

Voters to Decide Future of San Francisco Homeless Tent Encampments

Unable to pass the measure themselves, four San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a ballot measure for November that would let voters decide on the removal of tent encampments in the city providing that housing is offered.

June 23, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Shotgun Homes, New Orleans

New Orleans Mayor Announces Five-Year Affordable Housing Plan

Faced with increasing numbers of residents more than 50 percent of their income on housing costs, the mayor of New Orleans has announced his intentions to build or preserve 7,500 affordable units by 2021.

June 23, 2016 - Gambit

Apartment renter

Housing Market 2016 in a Best of Times, Worst of Times Moment

The story of the U.S. housing market is the story of growing inequality.

June 23, 2016 - Associated Press via Chicago Tribune

YIMBYs

What a Conference for YIMBYs Looks Like

The advocacy group Better Boulder held the YIMBY 2016 conference earlier this month.

June 23, 2016 - Next City

Eminent Domain for Preservation? It's Possible for Palo Alto Mobile Home Park

The city of Palo Alto, the county of Santa Clara, and the Housing Authority of Santa Clara County have joined forces to acquire the 4.5 acre Buena Vista Mobile Home Park, thus saving 117 low-income families from eviction.

June 22, 2016 - Palo Alto Online

All the Ways Section 8 Vouchers Go to Waste

With a lack of suitable rental units and a lack of willing landlords, the city of Pittsburgh provides a case study for the failure of the Housing Choice Voucher Program to live up to its potential.

June 22, 2016 - Pittsburg Post-Gazette

Justin Trudeau

Trudeau Wary of Unintended Consequences in Dealing with Vancouver's Housing Crisis

Prime Minister Trudeau took sides on one controversial issue central to the debate about the cost of housing in Vancouver, but stopped short of suggesting a clear policy agenda for the federal government to improve the problem.

June 21, 2016 - CBC News

Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park

Tracking Airbnb's Growth in Seattle

A recent study of the Airbnb rental units in Seattle shows a growing supply of short-term rental units, which is also cutting into the city's available rental housing stock.

June 17, 2016 - The Seattle Times

New York Housing

Section 8 Changes Would Send More Rent Subsidies to Wealthy Neighborhoods

Proposed changes could have a profound impact on the two million American households receiving rent subsidies through the Section 8 voucher program.

June 17, 2016 - The Wall Street Journal

San Francisco View from Dolores Park

San Francisco Apartment Supply Catching up to Demand, If only Temporarily

If you can afford it, now would be a good time to move to San Francisco and rent in a new, high-end apartment building. Rents will still be among the highest in the country, but property owners are offering many perks.

June 16, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Boston COnstruction

A Dissenting View of the 'Build Baby Build' Agenda in Boston

The Boston Globe casts doubt on the idea that large amounts of new housing in Boston will be able to reduce already high housing prices in the city.

June 15, 2016 - The Boston Globe

Denver Approves Short-Term Rentals for Primary Residences

A new ordinance approved by the Denver City Council yesterday grants legitimacy to an "already flourishing vacation rental market."

June 14, 2016 - The Denver Post

Tenants' Rights

On the Bay Area's Peninsula: A Reborn Tenants' Rights Movement

A resurgent tenants' rights movement has found a home south of the traditional progressive capital of the Bay Area.

June 13, 2016 - The New York Times

Omaha

Only Three Cities Pass the 'Trilemma' Test

Good jobs, affordable housing, and quality of life rarely come in a total package. In fact, according to new analysis from the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, only three cities in the United States combine all three.

June 13, 2016 - Gizmodo

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.

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.