Housing

19 Progressive Recommendations for Seattle's Housing Crisis

The Urbanist chose 19 of the progressive recommendations from a total of 65 put forward by the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda Advisory Committee (HALA) committee.

September 10, 2015 - The Urbanist

San Francisco Density

San Francisco Mayor Announces Affordable Housing Plan

Adding new details to a plan that is sure to create controversy, Mayor Ed Lee has a new plan to aadd affordable housing to the city of San Francisco.

September 9, 2015 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Affordable Housing Overhaul Proposed Amid Jersey City Building Boom

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop is pushing for an ambitious program to overhaul the city's development subsidies, even as building permits are flying off the shelves.

September 9, 2015 - Politico New Jersey

Is Sluggish Single-Family Housing Construction Slowing the Economy?

The Wall Street Journal implies a take on the U.S. economy that might make some urbanists uncomfortable: more single-family construction is necessary for a full economic recovery.

September 8, 2015 - The Wall Street Journal

Bed Stuy view

Problems With New York City's Temporary Shelter Program

With a surging homeless population, the city's cluster site program incentivizes slumlords and reduces the supply of affordable housing.

September 4, 2015 - The New York Times

Commuter Train

A Tale of Two Neighborhoods: TOD, Fair Housing, and Economic Mobility

"Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing"—as a new rule by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development proposes to do—can vary widely, even in the same city.

September 3, 2015 - Kyle Smith and Brendan Saunders

Project Housing

What HUD's Been Up To

The new "Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing" rule may impose additional paperwork burdens on local government, but is unlikely to cause major policy changes.

September 3, 2015 - Michael Lewyn

State Documents Reveal Woes at Pioneering Atlantic Yards Modular Tower

What was promised as the tallest building in the world built by modular construction is delayed and the subject of lawsuits. State documents, recently made public, describe water damage, tolerance challenges, and unanticipated repairs.

September 2, 2015 - City Limits

Skid Row

Conflicting Stories From Los Angeles' Skid Row

As the city considers new ordinances making it easier for police to break up homeless camps, residents say forced displacement is already underway. Police deny an increase in homeless sweeps.

August 31, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

Suburbia

Aging Boomer Suburbanites: The Coming Transit Disaster

The suburbs are not conducive to the aging baby boomers that populate them. How do we prepare?

August 31, 2015 - Mother Nature Network

Using Vacant Property Registration Fee Ordinances to Fix Blight

Planners get involved with foreclosure by assisting residents threatened with foreclosure or addressing community impacts such as blight, vacancy, and property disinvestment. A look at vacant property fees as a tool for dealing with foreclosure.

August 28, 2015 - Maine Association of Planners

Abbot Kinney

Big Money Floods Venice Beach

Is a gentrified Venice Beach still Venice Beach? With median home prices topping $1.4 million, the area's eclectic characters can't afford to stay. Investors and the tech industry say the change is only natural.

August 28, 2015 - The Washington Post

San Francisco Houses

San Francisco to Vote on Affordable Housing Bond

A ballot decision in November will determine whether San Francisco can sell $310 million in bonds to pay for affordable housing. The proposal coincides with Mayor Ed Lee's campaign for re-election.

August 28, 2015 - Australian Financial Review

'New Orleans Saved Itself': Cutting-Edge Community Planning Post-Katrina

Ten years ago, a number of architecture firms went to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina for a humanitarian "experiment"—rebuilding part of the underserved Lower Ninth Ward as an innovative, LEED Platinum, affordable community.

August 28, 2015 - The Planning Report

New Orleans Streetcar

Two Narratives Collide in Post-Katrina New Orleans

“A narrative of rebirth, reform and success that coexists with a narrative of stasis, failure and unrealized dreams.”

August 28, 2015 - The New York Times

Evacuation

What We Didn't Learn From Katrina

Cities are immensely complex self-organizing systems, not mere top-down designs—but they do need top-down interventions in strategic places. Unfortunately, we still have inadequate models and tools.

August 28, 2015 - Michael Mehaffy

Planning the Future of Buffalo's Outer Harbor Waterfront

A plan to revitalize Buffalo's Outer Harbor as an expansive, fully programmed park was sunk by a housing component. A new draft is expected soon.

August 26, 2015 - The Buffalo News

Agritpopia

Building a Better Suburb

Suburbs are changing. Instead of "green lawns, sprawling backyards, and lots of parking for cars," now there are "agri-hoods."

August 24, 2015 - Huffington Post Canada

Julian Castro

An Interview with HUD Secretary Julian Castro

"We use housing as a platform to create greater opportunity in people's lives."

August 24, 2015 - The Diane Rehm Show

New York City Public Housing Project

Housing Choice Voucher Holders Still Face Barriers to Mobility

Voucher recipients live in slightly better neighborhoods than the average poor household, but they still live in economically and racially segregated neighborhoods with poor-performing schools.

August 24, 2015 - Brookings Institute

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.