Housing
Mapping the Rental Housing Crisis—County by County
A new map tool breaks down the availability of rental housing around the United States by county. While some markets are tighter than others, it’s impossible to find a place in the United States that has enough rental units per low-income households.
A New Coalition for Urban Place
Who benefits the most from synergistic growth, where the parts of the built environment are brought together to create a strong community and sense of place?
Canadian Housing Market on Shaky Ground
Real estate experts believe that a market correction is overdue for Canada’s inflated real estate market, however, prices are expected to continue rising in the short-and medium-term.
A Housing-Focused Solution to Vermont’s Heroin Epidemic
Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin based his entire State of the State speech this year on the state’s “full-blown heroin crisis.” The crisis has obvious impacts on neighborhoods, but did land use policy contribute to the problem?
Los Angeles Reinvests in 'Family Solution' to Homelessness
Los Angeles County has allocated an additional $10.2 million to expand the Family Solutions Centers program, which supports some of the estimated 7,391 homeless families living in the county.
A Map of Housing Affordability in Each State
A recent report from the National Housing Conference has moderately good news about the housing market—in many states, the number of working households “severely cost-burdened” by the cost of housing dipped slightly in 2012.
Charlotte’s Growth Raises Transit and Housing Questions
A pair of recent articles examine the political and financing situation around transit (e.g., streetcar and light rail) and housing (i.e., a rental development boom) in Charlotte, which has paced the nation in growth over the past decade.
The Future is Cities
Cities are growing faster than you can say megalopolis. But as populations around the world shift to urban areas, cities are also focal points for global challenges—water, energy, health. MIT is working to address these issues.
Boston’s Micro-Apartment Experiment Continues
Boston, like other cities around the country, suffers from a housing shortage. Initial micro-apartment developments met plenty of demand, but whether the model is a panacea for the city’s housing shortage is still in question.
Affordable Housing in New York City—What’s Next
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has set a lofty goal of creating or preserving 200,000 units of affordable housing in New York City. How can the mayor's team deliver on that promise?
Does Reducing Regulations Yield Expanded Housing Options?
Outdated and onerous regulations, particularly those found in zoning ordinances, are affecting the availability of housing choice. What can communities do to expand their hosing stock? C.J. Gabbe explains.
Game Changer for Housing Nonprofits: REITs
Tired of not closing deals to preserve affordable housing due to delays in public financing, the nonprofit Housing Partnership Network created a real estate investment trust. The results have been "game changing."
Are Social and Economic Justice Planning Outcomes?
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Planning Commission Chair Carl Weisbrod while promising planning decisions that produce economic and social justice benefits. The question is to what degree planning can influence those outcomes.
New Study Claims Airbnb Is Fudging Its Numbers
Airbnb, arguably the most famous symbol of the sharing economy, has a court date with the New York State Attorney General in March. Meanwhile, a new report has evidence that Airbnb is fudging its numbers relevant to a key issue in the case.
Overcoming the Myths of the Rental Housing Market
A recent study called “America’s Rental Housing: Evolving Markets and Needs” by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard smashes myths about the rental market—of particular importance given the recent rise in rents around the country.
Americans and Dream Homes—A Love Story
Realtor.com has conducted a survey on the characteristics and trends in that feeling familiar to many a house hunter—falling in love with the perfect house. Yes, a “home crush” is a thing.
How Co-ops Preserve Affordable Housing In Changing Neighborhoods
Tenant-owned apartment buildings are rare in the District of Columbia, but are a key tool in preserving affordable homes in our quickly growing city. Here, a look at two--and one group that helps make them happen.
Condo Developers Respond to Demand for Dog Amenities
As Toronto's condo-boom continues, condo buyers and councillors alike are calling for developments to be designed with canines in mind. Developers are now looking to include amenities like “pet spas” and rooftop 'dog runs' in their developments.
How Utah Could End Homelessness by 2015
By implementing a rational, structured policy of providing free apartments for the homeless, the state of Utah has greatly reduced its homeless population and is on pace to eradicate it completely by 2015.
Location Optimization Tools: Toward More Comprehensive and Multi-Modal Indicators
New tools are becoming available to help people evaluate the quality of walking, cycling, public transit and automobile accessibility when making home location decisions. This information can help create more efficient and sustainable communities.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
