Housing

Oregon

Multi-Family Development in Portland Stalls at a Controversial Crossroads for the City

On the one hand, the city of Portland is facing pressure to add new housing and development to meet the needs of a growing population and an expensive real estate market. On the other hand, change is never easy.

April 17, 2017 - Portland Tribune

San Francisco Bay Bridge

Plan Bay Area 2040 Sets Ambitious Housing and Transportation Agenda

The last time the San Francisco Bay Area got together to set a regional agenda on housing and transportation, the Sierra Club and the Tea Party teamed up to oppose the Plan Bay Area. A draft of the new Plan Bay Area 2040 hopes to avoid the drama.

April 17, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Mt. Rainier

Seattle Upzones its Urban Core

A large swatch of downtown and an adjacent neighborhood can develop taller and denser after the Seattle City Council approved zoning changes this week.

April 16, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Sign at Silver Lake's Sunset Junction

Exposé: Development Obstruction in Los Angeles

Homeowners groups use their influence to extract payments and concessions in Los Angeles.

April 15, 2017 - LA Weekly

Lawn Sign Liberalism

Seeing "No Matter Where You're From" signs in liberal-leaning towns makes me both smile and cringe. Why? Because I know the tolerant message belies the real feelings many have towards neighbors, not from other countries, but "other" neighborhoods.

April 13, 2017 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Eviction

Evicted's Stories of Housing and Poverty Earn the Pulitzer Prize

Housing experts have been reading and passing around "Evicted," by Matthew Desmond, since its release last year. Now the book has won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.

April 12, 2017 - Slate

Capitol Hill

Americans Are Ready for Tax Reform; But at the Cost of the Mortgage Interest Deduction?

Kenneth R. Harney reports on the possibility that lawmakers in Washington, D.C. could target the mortgage interest deduction as part of a Republican tax reform plan.

April 10, 2017 - The Washington Post

Memphis's Four-Point Plan to Eliminate Blight

Memphis hopes its coordinated action plan on blight can be a model for cities nationwide.

April 9, 2017 - How Housing Matters

Chicago Bungalows

Property Values in a Changing Chicago

Chicago has long struggled with segregation and great disparities between neighborhoods; to understand what's happening in its property markets, the city must be explored on a neighborhood level.

April 9, 2017 - Chicago Magazine

High Rise Construction

New York Affordable Developers Pool Resources

Non-profit developers are joining forces to increase their buying power in the pricey New York housing market.

April 9, 2017 - Next City

Atlanta streetcar

More Evidence for a Link Between Transit and Home Values

Judging from a statistical analysis by Redfin, there is in fact a positive correlation between home values and transit access. But that only applies in areas where transit and walking are already common modes.

April 8, 2017 - City Observatory

Infill Development is Key to Meeting California's Emission Reduction Law

If California is going to meet the new, steep emissions reductions required by a law passed last September, one of the most effective strategies will be to promote infill housing, according to a new report from University of California at Berkeley.

April 8, 2017 - Builder

Housing Construction

Ten Ways to Frame Constructive Housing Messages

There are lots of arguments available for people that want to oppose new housing projects, but what are a few guiding principles for framing a supportive and constructive housing conversation?

April 7, 2017 - Sightline Institute

Oceanside

Removing California's Costa-Hawkins Act and the Future of Rent Control

In an attempt to combat prohibitively high housing costs in California, some look to repeal the 1995 state law that limits the power of local rent control ordinances. However, removing those restrictions would likely exaggerate current problems.

April 5, 2017 - Reuben Duarte

Sutro Tower

Young People Trend YIMBY, Older People NIMBY, in the San Francisco Bay Area

A recent survey found young people are more likely to support development in their neighborhood than their older counterparts in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area region.

April 4, 2017 - San Francisco Business Times

The Villages Florida

How About Walkable 'Small Town-ism?'

With the high cost of land and housing in most major cities, why don't we just make the hundreds of "walkable" small towns in the United States more desirable places to live for average earners?

April 4, 2017 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Los Angeles City Hall

Sent A Strong Message, Los Angeles Leaders Respond With Planning Reforms

In the aftermath of the Measure S vote, members of the Los Angeles City Council have responded by pushing for expediting community plan updates and finding a sustainable source of funding for updating the region's plans.

April 4, 2017 - The Planning Report

Big Box Store

Ikea's Breakthrough In Modular Housing—An Affordable Housing Solution?

Has the Swedish retailer made a major breakthrough in affordable housing?

April 3, 2017 - Modern Cities

Public Housing

HUD Slashes Funding for NYC Affordable Housing

Cutting millions in federal aid to the New York City Housing Authority will "evaporate" years of progress in the city, said the agency's CEO.

April 3, 2017 - The Wall Street Jounal

Airport

The First U.S. 'Noise Map' Could Help Reduce Unsafe Exposure

A new tool from the Department of Transportation maps all the noise created by traffic nationwide.

April 3, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

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.