Housing

Boston Aerial

Boston Olympic Plan Includes 8,000 Units of Housing

As it vies to host the 2024 Summer Games, Boston's plan envisions two new permanent neighborhoods built with a mix of public and private investment. The final decision will take place in September.

July 26, 2015 - Boston Globe

Old houses with large porch and colorful siding

All-White Neighborhoods Are Nearly Extinct; All-Black Neighborhoods Persist

The good news is that middle-class suburbs are becoming increasingly integrated. However, a closer look at the migration patterns of whites and minorities reveals a more complex picture, rife with racism.

July 26, 2015 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Why 'Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing' Matters

An interview with a leading academic on the subject of fair housing offers perspective on the new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule created by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

July 25, 2015 - Salon

On the Limitations—and Unanswered Questions—of Housing Research

Limitations of data collection mean many questions about housing consumption simply cannot be answered.

July 23, 2015 - Housing Perspectives

Houston's 'Avenue Place' Sets the Affordable Housing Bar High

A housing development in Houston's Near Northside has made a remarkable commitment to developing affordable units to populations at-risk of being pushed out by gentrification.

July 23, 2015 - The Urban Edge

Hotel California

Airbnb and Affordable Housing, Part 2

This post discusses the argument that even if Airbnb affects an extremely small portion of the rental market, it still matters because of the low vacancy rates of some cities.

July 21, 2015 - Michael Lewyn

Will Indianapolis Rezone to a Less Car-Centric Future?

With backing from Mayor Greg Ballard, Indianapolis' new zoning ordinance has been "tweaked" to allow developers to lower parking minimums if options to reduce driving are provided. Also, EV rift between charging stations and parking spaces reported.

July 20, 2015 - The Indianapolis Star

The 'Unlikely Source' of Hope for Affordable Housing: the Private Sector

The chair of the Community Development Trust makes the case for the new potential of private sector investments in affordable housing.

July 18, 2015 - American Banker

A Different Way to Fix California's Affordable Housing Crisis

To fix California’s housing crisis, a statewide mandate is needed that requires 20 percent of all new housing, rental units, and those for sale be set aside for low-income families, according to affordable housing developer Murtaza H. Baxamusa.

July 17, 2015 - UrbDeZine

Op-Ed: Recent Fair Housing Decisions Could Boost Republicans

A New York Times op-ed predicts that recent changes to Fair Housing could prompt unintended consequences—such as new support for the Republican Party among middle class white populations.

July 16, 2015 - The New York Times

Parking, Density, and Affordable Housing in California

A bill to reduce parking minimums for residential or mixed-use developments that include affordable units passed a key Senate committee. AB 744 amends the state's density bonus law, itself controversial, that incentivizes building affordable housing.

July 16, 2015 - Streetsblog California

Cornell Tech's Trailblazing Passive-House Residential Tower Breaks Ground

Construction has begun on the world’s first residential high-rise to meet Passive House standards: a dorm tower on Cornell Tech’s much-anticipated Roosevelt Island campus in New York City.

July 16, 2015 - The Planning Report

Central Park Aerial

Are Foreigners to Blame for High Housing Prices?

One common argument against allowing new housing in popular cities is that as long as rich foreigners use up the housing supply prices will never go down.

July 14, 2015 - Michael Lewyn

Can Seattle Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis With Zoning?

Seattle returns to zoning as a tool to promote the construction of affordable housing.

July 14, 2015 - CityLab

New Research on Airbnb's Impact on the San Francisco Housing Market

The San Francisco Chronicle published a large, magazine-style feature detailing the impacts of Airbnb on the city's housing market.

July 14, 2015 - San Francisco Chronicle

Detaching the Family Car from Single-Family Housing

As parking reform takes to multi-family housing, the detached single family home has largely escaped discussion. Should it? Seattle (of course) is taking the lead. Also, is all of Minneapolis ready to eliminate parking minimums along transit lines?

July 14, 2015 - Streetsblog Network

Tiny House

Tiny House Movement Pushing the Boundaries of Traditional Zoning

Tiny Houses on trailers are available and buyers are ready to live small, but most zoning regulations don’t allow recreational vehicles as a permanent residence. Can zoning catch up to the tiny living trend?

July 11, 2015 - The Charlotte Observer

New Jersey Cities Dragging Feet on Court-Mandated Affordable Housing Plans

Fair housing has taken national stage in recent weeks—a Supreme Court ruling and a Department of Housing and Urban Development rule now define fair housing. The New Jersey Supreme Court has also had its say on the subject, and cities are catching up.

July 11, 2015 - The Star-Ledger

How Much Does it Cost the Public to Build Housing in Loudoun County, Virginia?

A wealthy county in Virginia has a reputation for prohibiting the construction of new housing. Development interests, however, are fed up with anti-development arguments.

July 10, 2015 - The Washington Post

Obama Administration Adds New Clout to Fair Housing

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has released the details of the final rule for Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, which will give new strength to the goals set forth by the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

July 10, 2015 - The New York Times

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