Housing
The U.S. City with the Highest Median Rent is....
If you guessed the Big Apple, you'd be wrong. It's the City by the Bay with a median rent of $1,463; New York City had the fifth highest at $1,187. San Jose, Boston, and Washington, D.C. were ranked second, third, and fourth respectively.
Affordability Must Measure Transportation Costs, Say Feds
A new tool launched by the U.S. DOT and HUD builds on the Center for Neighborhood Technology's innovative Housing + Transportation Index to give Americans a better picture of the complete costs of their housing choices.
Struggling Cities Demolish Their Way to Growth
Saddled with thousands of vacant buildings, and little hope of recovering lost population, cities such as Baltimore, Buffalo, and Cleveland are pursuing large-scale demolitions. Shrinking cities are changing the very practice of urban planning.
In China's Model New Town Urbanization Equals Ghettoization
Outside of Tianjin, in northern China, a model new town has become a symbol of something less exemplary - the country's struggles with urbanization. Broken promises and scant opportunities are creating trying conditions for former farmers.
Could Vacant Schools Help Meet Philly's Affordable Housing Needs?
In Philadelphia, and other cities going through demographic changes, shuttered schools provide a challenge and opportunity for redevelopment and reuse. Two board members of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) offer a creative solution.
Which U.S. City Gentrified the Most Before the Recession?
A new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland quantifies the rate at which America's 55 largest cities gentrified between 2000-2007 based on neighborhood home values. The results may surprise you.
Seeking Sustainability Beyond LEED
What does it take to build sustainably? That a question that the USGBC's LEED program hoped to define. A group of developers in New York is trying to go beyond LEED to create "truly sustainable buildings".
We Can't Afford to Ignore Manufactured Housing Anymore
A negative perception of manufactured housing persists, though the industry has changed drastically. Winton Pitcoff tells community developers that these homes need to be taken seriously as solutions for the affordable housing crisis.
NYC: 7 Things at Risk, Post-Bloomberg
As Mayor Bloomberg gets set to leave office in New York, here are 7 things that may dramatically change under a new administration.
Pioneering Mixed-Income Project Provides a Model for Solving D.C.'s Affordability Crisis
When the Townhomes on Capitol Hill replaced the Ellen Wilson public housing project 14 years ago, mixed-income housing was a novel strategy. Now that such projects are common, what lessons can the Townhomes provide for developing affordable housing?
Who's Buying NYC's New Castles in the Sky?
With prices at Manhattan's new luxury towers such as One57 reaching $6,000 a square foot and up, these sky-high mansions are actually a bargain compared to other sought-after cities. The "deals" are attracting buyers from around the world.
Copenhagen Looks in its Attics to Find More Density
As migration puts growth pressure on Denmark’s largest city, Copenhagen is promoting the conversion of under-utilized attics into apartments as a way to create new housing while maintaining the city's built form and character.
Home Prices May Be Rising In Cities But Many Suburbs Are Still Struggling
In desirable cities across America, home prices are well on their way back to pre-bust levels. But in areas like Chicago's southern suburbs, prices are down more than 40 percent from recent highs, and approaching were they were twenty years ago.
The World's Biggest Housing Bubbles
More than five years ago, the collapse of overinflated housing markets brought the global economy to its knees. Though some countries are still struggling to recover, the bubbles are back in others. Here are 5 of the world's largest housing bubbles.
How the U.S. Became a Unique "Nation of Homezoners”
Exceptionalism is a word often associated with the U.S., most often with foreign policy. Sonia Hirt of VPI argues that since its inception American zoning has also taken a unique form compared to European counterparts.
How States Can Combat Affordable Housing NIMBYs
The U.S. is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. But as the landmark Mount Laurel saga illustrates, many communities object to developing such housing. Corianne Payton Scally argues that states should work harder to promote such projects.
Mount Laurel Attests to the Benefits of Integrating Suburbia
Despite their fears, the well-off residents of Mount Laurel have been unaffected by the “fair share” of affordable housing mandated by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark battle over the socioeconomic integration of suburbia.
Cal Supremes Decide Whether Inclusionary Housing is a Regulation or Exaction
In a decision that may have far-reaching impacts, California's Supreme Court ruled last week that the City of Palo Alto's inclusionary housing requirement is an exaction rather than a land use regulation, reports William Fulton.
A Design and Planning To-Do List for NYC's Next Mayor
Over the past 12 years, New York has been transformed. For the better in some instances (bike lanes, pedestrian plazas), and perhaps not in others (unaffordability). Michael Kimmelman suggests how to build on the successes and correct the problems.
What's the Best Way to Increase Affordable Housing?
Amid America's urban renaissance, increasing the supply of affordable housing has arisen as a topic of concern in several of the country's cities. The New York Times "Room for Debate" page asks eight experts to contribute their recommendations.
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
