Housing
5 Goals for Vancouver's New Chief Planner
Vancouver has a new chief planner, and a former chief planner already has a to-do list for the new guy.
Changes to Los Angeles' Small Lot Ordinance on the Way
Responding to criticism from neighborhoods faced with new small lot developments, the city of Los Angeles in considering changes to its Small Lot Subdivision Ordinance.
New Orleans Planning Commission Recommends Limits for Short-Term Rentals
The New Orleans City Council must still approve regulations for short-term rentals, but the Planning Commission has spoken.
Spiting Mandatory Inclusionary Housing to Save Mandatory Inclusionary Housing
The question of whether New York City's new mandatory inclusionary housing policy should apply to a 17-story project in Manhattan could have wide-ranging implications.
Supervisor Calls for Halt to Construction in San Francisco's Mission District
The ghosts of the Mission Moratorium have returned to San Francisco, after a local supervisor has called for a halt to three projects while the city crafts legislation to regulate development in the neighborhood.
One Fourth of East Harlem Housing Set to Lose Affordability
The area could lose up to 500 units of affordable housing every year for the next 30 years if the city doesn't extend existing protections.
Twisting the Truth: The NIMBY Opposition to Second Units in L.A.
An op-ed by Daniel Freedman explains how a legal spat over an 850-square-foot "granny flat" affected hundreds of units around Los Angeles. The city's attempt to rectify the problems with its second unit ordinance has encountered more resistance.
Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning Gets Committee Approval in Seattle
A key component of the city of Seattle's Housing Affordability and and Livability Agenda moved forward earlier this week.
A Paradigm Shift for Affordable Housing: Preserve What's Left
A Los Angeles affordable-housing developer says the industry needs to focus more on keeping existing housing affordable.
Baltimore County Rejects Law to Curb Housing Discrimination
The decision by the Baltimore County Council allows landlords to continue using "source of income" as criteria for prospective tenants. Such practices are often used to bar residents relying on housing vouchers.
Vancouver's Attempt to Preserve Affordable Housing Causes Waves
On August 2nd, a new 15 percent tax on real estate deals with foreign buyers went into effect. The goal was to cool the hyperactive housing market, but the implementation has caught many by surprise.
Many Cities Now Facing the Challenges of Prosperity
It might be possible for San Francisco residents to feel like the challenges of homelessness, gentrification, and a tech boom, all colliding at once, are unique to their city. Other cities—Denver for example—are facing the same challenges.
Planetizen Week in Review: August 1, 2016
Political junkies, map nerds, and transit fans all got plenty of big news to digest during the last week of July 2016.
U.S. Homeownership Rate Lowest Since 1965
A confluence of economic and demographic factors means fewer Americans own homes than at any time since 1965.
Houston Micro-Condo Development Now to Include Hotel
A New York City micro-unit developer had hoped to sell 550 micro-condos to millennials and empty nesters. The project is being redesigned to reduce the number of micro-condos and add a hotel.
Report: Britain's Suburbs on the Decline
London's central core never experienced the deterioration many American downtowns lived through, but the inner city/suburb dynamic was still at play. Now poverty is moving outward.
An Urban Lesson From the DNC's Host City
While Democrats consider the future of the country, the host city of the DNC offers a great urban lesson from the past: the elegant efficiency of rowhouses.
San Francisco Approves Accessory Dwelling Units
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has approved legislation that will allow the construction of accessory dwelling units, potentially adding thousands of units to the city's housing supply.
A Case for Integrating Housing and Healthcare Services
Connecting affordable housing and healthcare programs can improve both—especially for seniors and disabled people.
Airbnb's Listings Expanded in 2015, but Many Don't Last Long
A new statistical analysis of Airbnb listings shows the short-term-rental service is growing worldwide, but suggests that many hosts don't stick with it. Intermittent commercial uses of residences could be seen in the planning context of "mixed use."
Pagination
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello