Housing
Scrambling to Fund and Build Housing for Shale Boom Workers
"The drilling industry boom in places like Washington County [Pennsylvania] has squeezed the housing market, especially among those looking for lower-priced apartments and homes," reports Stephanie Ritenbaugh.
Study: American Housing Preferences Mimic American Politics
Emily Badger pulls particularly salient information from last week's Pew Research Center's report on political attitudes: liberals prefer the city while conservatives prefer small towns and rural areas.
Houston's Home Sales Juggernaut Slows—Lack of Supply Blamed
New data from the Houston Association of Realtors shows the end of an "unrelenting string of positive monthly home sales data." According to the Houston Chronicle, the group "attributed the decline to this area’s lack of housing inventory."
Conservatives Push Back on 'Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing' Policy
Stanley Kurtz reports that Congressman Paul Gosar (R-Arizona) "is planning to offer" an amendment to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill that would declaw the Obama Administration's proposed "AFFH" rule.
Urbanists Soak Up Buffalo: PlaceMakers Empty Their Notebooks
Many of you attended CNU in Buffalo last week, but for those of you who couldn't make it, here's a quick collection of a few of the ideas shared.
Supply, Demand, and Affordable Housing
Bill Witte, president of Related California, one of the most active developers of residential and commercial properties on the West Coast, talks about real estate, affordable housing, and a squeezed middle class with The Planning Report.
The McMansion Strikes Back: New American Homes are Larger than Ever
According to new date from the U.S. Census, McMansions are back. In fact, the data indicates that the housing crash and recession was a temporary pause in the long-term trend of the always-expanding American home.
Big Plans for Garden Cities in the United Kingdom
Garden cities have been making news lately thanks to a new book by architect Robert A.M. Stern, but a design competition and policy declarations in the United Kingdom have put some serious skin in the game.
The New Retirement Community Paradigm
After postponing home purchases during the recession, people over the age of 55 have been the first group to return to the home buying market.
Gentrification and High Rents—Not Quite the Same Thing
Public concern about gentrification is based on fears that out-of-control rents are pricing out the middle and lower classes. But rent is rising even in places where gentrification is not happening.
On the Unintended Consequences of Inclusionary Zoning
"Affordable housing policies have a long history of hurting the very people they are said to help," says Emily Washington, citing public housing and rent control as evidence. She would also add inclusionary zoning to the list of failed policies.
De Blasio Moving Forward with New York City's Largest Housing Development in Three Decades
Although the Hunter's Point South was a Bloomberg-era proposal, the de Blasio Administration last week released an RFP for $100 million in construction to build the infrastructure and public amenities necessary to support the project.
Bill Would Except Marin County from California Affordable Housing Mandate
A bill to create an exception for Marin County for meeting it's state affordable housing requirements is sailing through the legislature and even has the support of affordable housing developers.
Mapping America's Homeless Populations
The Committee to End Homelessness in King County produced a helpful visualization tool that compares the size of homeless populations around the country as well as the type of housing support they receive.
What is the New American Dream?
The new American Dream is about place, and that brings people and communities together. The 20th Century American Dream tended to pull cities and towns apart.
Boston Mayor's Agenda Prioritizes Middle Class Housing Affordability
Boston is experiencing a period of brisk residential construction—most of which will enter the luxury market. New Mayor Martin Walsh has set the creation of middle class housing as a top priority for the city.
Supply and Demand: Debating the Blame for Gentrification
Jim Russell and Daniel Kay Hertz are engaged in an ongoing debate about how supply and demand in markets of so-called "superstar metros" influences processes of gentrification.
Renting or Buying? The Math Figures Differently around the Country
As the real estate market sees dramatic price increases in much of California and the Northwest, more measures favor renting compared to buying.
Special Delivery: Housing Data Provided by the United States Postal Service
If you're looking for more data on housing in the United States, a dataset produced by the United States Postal Service has many advantages.
Foreign Investors Driving Up Housing Costs, Creating Zombie Communities
A slew of analysis in recent weeks has examined the negative consequences of foreign real estate speculation in cities like New York City, London, and Vancouver.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
