Housing
Not Racist—but Similar to Racism
Low-density zoning is not racist in the narrowest sense of the term—but it does have similar goals to racist housing policies and creates similar problems.
Jamaica, Queens: More Than Just a Stop on the Way to the Airport
Public and private interests have emerged to revitalize the Queens neighborhood, an inter-modal hub ten miles east of Midtown Manhattan.
Seattle Tower-Spacing Rules Cause Controversy
To preserve views, zoning rules from 2006 require adequate distance between residential towers of a certain height. As developers chafe against the restriction, residents still worry they'll be left facing a wall.
Boston Olympic Plan Includes 8,000 Units of Housing
As it vies to host the 2024 Summer Games, Boston's plan envisions two new permanent neighborhoods built with a mix of public and private investment. The final decision will take place in September.
All-White Neighborhoods Are Nearly Extinct; All-Black Neighborhoods Persist
The good news is that middle-class suburbs are becoming increasingly integrated. However, a closer look at the migration patterns of whites and minorities reveals a more complex picture, rife with racism.
Why 'Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing' Matters
An interview with a leading academic on the subject of fair housing offers perspective on the new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule created by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
On the Limitations—and Unanswered Questions—of Housing Research
Limitations of data collection mean many questions about housing consumption simply cannot be answered.
Houston's 'Avenue Place' Sets the Affordable Housing Bar High
A housing development in Houston's Near Northside has made a remarkable commitment to developing affordable units to populations at-risk of being pushed out by gentrification.
Airbnb and Affordable Housing, Part 2
This post discusses the argument that even if Airbnb affects an extremely small portion of the rental market, it still matters because of the low vacancy rates of some cities.
Will Indianapolis Rezone to a Less Car-Centric Future?
With backing from Mayor Greg Ballard, Indianapolis' new zoning ordinance has been "tweaked" to allow developers to lower parking minimums if options to reduce driving are provided. Also, EV rift between charging stations and parking spaces reported.
The 'Unlikely Source' of Hope for Affordable Housing: the Private Sector
The chair of the Community Development Trust makes the case for the new potential of private sector investments in affordable housing.
A Different Way to Fix California's Affordable Housing Crisis
To fix California’s housing crisis, a statewide mandate is needed that requires 20 percent of all new housing, rental units, and those for sale be set aside for low-income families, according to affordable housing developer Murtaza H. Baxamusa.
Op-Ed: Recent Fair Housing Decisions Could Boost Republicans
A New York Times op-ed predicts that recent changes to Fair Housing could prompt unintended consequences—such as new support for the Republican Party among middle class white populations.
Parking, Density, and Affordable Housing in California
A bill to reduce parking minimums for residential or mixed-use developments that include affordable units passed a key Senate committee. AB 744 amends the state's density bonus law, itself controversial, that incentivizes building affordable housing.
Cornell Tech's Trailblazing Passive-House Residential Tower Breaks Ground
Construction has begun on the world’s first residential high-rise to meet Passive House standards: a dorm tower on Cornell Tech’s much-anticipated Roosevelt Island campus in New York City.
Are Foreigners to Blame for High Housing Prices?
One common argument against allowing new housing in popular cities is that as long as rich foreigners use up the housing supply prices will never go down.
Can Seattle Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis With Zoning?
Seattle returns to zoning as a tool to promote the construction of affordable housing.
New Research on Airbnb's Impact on the San Francisco Housing Market
The San Francisco Chronicle published a large, magazine-style feature detailing the impacts of Airbnb on the city's housing market.
Detaching the Family Car from Single-Family Housing
As parking reform takes to multi-family housing, the detached single family home has largely escaped discussion. Should it? Seattle (of course) is taking the lead. Also, is all of Minneapolis ready to eliminate parking minimums along transit lines?
Tiny House Movement Pushing the Boundaries of Traditional Zoning
Tiny Houses on trailers are available and buyers are ready to live small, but most zoning regulations don’t allow recreational vehicles as a permanent residence. Can zoning catch up to the tiny living trend?
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
