Housing
New York Times Sees Malfeasance in Contracts for Deed
Contracts for deed are gaining popularity at investment firms that scooped up swaths of foreclosed properties during the Great Recession. The risk for buyers, however, smacks of the same misdeeds that created that historic crisis in the first place.
3 Examples of Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Policies
Mobility Lab tackles the challenges of building affordable housing near transit (i.e., transit-oriented affordable housing) by providing specific, real-world examples from cities and states.
Granny Flats a Symptom of L.A.'s 'Broken' Planning Process
Building permits for Accessory Dwelling Units have been stopped by court order in Los Angeles.
Seattle's Inclusionary Zoning Proposal Falling Short of Expectations
A critical component of the landmark and controversial Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) platform, announced first in July 2015.
Don't Forget the Neighborhoods Zoning Reform Leaves Behind
While urbanists target zoning reform to help build more housing in desirable neighborhoods, other neighborhoods around cities are being left behind to languish, according to this opinion piece published by Forbes.
Visions of Revitalization Compete in Baltimore
A grassroots housing plan in Baltimore would keep control over neighborhood revitalization, and its benefits, in communities.
Real Estate Prices Booming in Downtown Detroit
As downtown real estate prices soar, similar to other cities in the United States, it's possible to see signs of recovery around Detroit. Other parts of the city, however, are not seeing the same changes.
Seattle Housing Prices Starting to Look Like San Francisco
Seattle's housing prices have ballooned on a level comparable to San Francisco, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.
How Austin Renters Are Resisting Displacement
Rapid development in Austin, TX has severely impacted rental housing, including mobile home parks, which are a source of low-income housing.
Battle Lines Drawn Over Density in Charlotte
The Charlotte Observer recently described the landscape of proposed apartment developments in the city of Charlotte.
Barriers to Integration Come Down Slowly in Wealthy, White Suburban Enclaves
Beware of possible code words like "character" and "flavor" when it comes to community resistance to multifamily housing or increased density. Case in point, Garden City, Long Island.
Chronic Homelessness Persists at New York City Transit Hubs and Airports
Two train stations, two airports, and one bus terminal double as homeless shelters in New York City. When some close for the night, the subways fill in.
Oakland Approves 90-Day Moratorium on Evictions
Taking steps to prevent Oakland from becoming the next San Francisco, the East Bay city passed a 90-day moratorium on certain kinds of evictions.
How Bay Area Cities Are Dealing with the Housing Crunch
A booming-once-again tech sector and a rapidly increasing population in the Bay Area are aggravating a historically tight housing market. Preservation architect Jerri Holan looks at how Bay Area cities are dealing with the housing crunch.
Looking for Housing Solutions? Look to the Past
The development of Portland during the early decades of the 1900s reveals ideas for how to lessen the pressure on housing prices in the 2010s.
Anatomy of a San Francisco YIMBY
The New York Times provides an in-depth exploration of the politics and personalities behind the YIMBY organization known as the SF Bay Area Renters' Federation (BARF).
Many Benefits Expected for Changes to Rockaway Community
Officials see chance to move residents out of flood zone, improving access to beach, and deliver affordable housing and infrastructure.
Maine Communities Increasingly Allow Granny Flats
Many Maine communities have amended their zoning ordinances to allow accessory dwelling units, recognizing the benefits of this housing option.
Denver Ordinances Would Restrict Short-Term Rentals
Two proposed ordinances under consideration get to the heart of the matter in Denver by requiring that short-term rental services like Airbnb only operate in "primary residences."
30-Story Mixed-Use Tower Planned for Downtown Austin—Without Parking
Thanks to the elimination of minimum parking requirements downtown, a vacant one-story building "could be transformed into a 30-story tower with 135 luxury apartments, office space, a restaurant and a bar," reports the Austin-American Statesman.
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.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
