Housing
McMansions Spark Debate in Decatur, Georgia
Call them teardowns, infill, or McMansions, the affluent suburb of Decatur, Georgia is dealing with growing concern about neighborhood character and tree canopy as property owners adopt the trend toward new, large houses in existing neighborhoods.
New York City's Suburbs Building More Housing than its Boroughs
John Petro analyzes American Community Survey data to find that suburban areas like Hudson and Suffolk County are adding housing units at a much faster pace than all of New York City except for Brooklyn.
Op-Ed: Oakland Needs Better Housing Policy to Lead Relief of the Bay Area's Housing Crunch
Robert Selna, a land use and real estate attorney, pens a letter to the editor arguing for Oakland to develop specific and aggressive housing development policies.
Arkansas Examined as the 'Worst Place to Rent in America'
A Vice News video feature by Spencer M Chumbley and Mark Scialla explores the impacts of what it calls "draconian eviction laws" in Arkansas.
Study: Millennials Will Soon Boost the Housing Industry
Although the recession disrupted household creation by Millennials, a new study from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies suggests the generation will soon start to create households in large, influential numbers.
New 'Gold Rush' in Pittsburgh: Luxury Housing
Alina Dizik details what it takes to find a luxury home in the evolving Pittsburgh real estate market.
Board Passes on Rent Freeze Despite Mayor de Blasio's Intentions
The New York City Rent Guidelines Board is one of the few ways Mayor Bill de Blasio can influence the price of housing in the city. All sides came away wanting when the board approved a historically low increase.
Environmentalists Settle Lawsuit on Plan Bay Area
Two down, two to go. Rarely has a regional transportation/land use plan been sued by so many diverse groups. Environmentalists settled with Bay Area regional planning agencies with assurances that the 2017 plan will better account for GHG reductions.
Proliferation of 'Pop-Ups' Irks Washington D.C. Neighborhoods
Washington D.C. is experiencing a "rush" on new construction of renovated townhouses or "pop-ups," which many say do not fit the character of the neighborhoods where they tend to proliferate.
Survey: Americans Want Government Action on Affordable Housing
The findings of the Housing Works survey, released earlier this month, suggest that the cost of housing is a pervasive concern among Americans, even if Americans aren't sure they support the kinds of measures necessary to improve the problem.
The Limitations of Inclusionary Zoning Explained
Josh Barro examines the possible use of inclusionary zoning to generate affordable housing stock in the city of New York City finding that the only way to build more affordable units is by increasing density.
Minneapolis Pondering 'Granny Flats' Legalization
Responding to advocates who are calling for granny flats as a potential boon to the city's housing stock, city staff will begin a public engagement process this summer in preparation for possible changes to the city's zoning code.
Calif. Governor Signs Game-Changing Budget for HSR, Transit, and Affordable Housing
Jerry Brown signed a $156.3-billion budget on June 20 that marks a new day for greenhouse gas-reducing transportation and sustainable communities projects due to new revenues from the state's cap and trade market now and, particularly, in the future.
New Data Quantifies the Reach of Airbnb
The San Francisco Chronicle published a sweeping portrait of Airbnb's operations within the city of San Francisco—from previously unreleased data to personal stories of renters.
Ballot Measure would Tax House Flipping in San Francisco
Eric Young reports on a "Stop the Flip" ordinance that will appear on the November ballot in San Francisco.
Vacant Properties Linger Post-Sandy in Queens and Rockaway
Still plagued by home left vacant after Hurricane Sandy, a politician and local activists are pushing for greater action to clean up the blighted properties.
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.
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
