Housing
Vancouver's Popular Laneway Housing Program Gets a Redesign
Vancouver's efforts to facilitate accessory dwellings has proven to be popular - perhaps too popular for some residents. As officials prepare to expand the program citywide, they're tweaking it to address concerns with privacy and parking.
Epidemic of Condo Clones Spreads in Brooklyn
What's the deal with the Belvedere "brand" of similar looking condominium buildings that have sprouted over the last decade in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn? Elizabeth A. Harris investigates.
In New York's Sky-High Residential Market, It's All About the Views
Robin Finn looks at New York's "Stratospherians", vertical lifestyle fans with deep pockets that are driving the city's residential tower construction, and prices, to new heights.
The Economic Downside of Homeownership
A new study by two professors from University of Warwick in England suggests that higher homeownership levels correlate to higher unemployment, a finding contrary to long-held beliefs in the unmitigated benefits of owning a home.
Are Developer Fees Responsible for Vancouver's High Housing Costs?
The Vancouver Sun looks at the fees that the city charges developers, such as the community amenity contribution, and finds them much higher than neighboring areas. Even though costs are higher, so are developer profits.
America's Hottest Housing Markets
As the housing market recovered nationwide, home values rose 5.1% across the U.S. between February 2012 and February 2013. In 10 of the major markets analyzed by Zillow, values rose more than 13%. In five of those, home values rose more than 20%.
Build, Don't Bulldoze, Slums to Reduce Poverty
Indian journalist Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar examines the opportunities that informal settlements provide to the poor and unskilled for ascending economic and social ladders.
Obama Proposal Could Transform Public Housing Terms
A proposal in President Obama's 2014 budget would allow housing authorities to tighten requirements for residents and set time limits. Housing agencies hope the changes will trim waiting lists, but opponents see more affordable housing as the answer.
New Approach Needed for Building Affordable Housing
The rising interest in urban living has meant a growing shortage of affordable housing in cities across the country. Roger Lewis proposes a new approach to help solve the crisis: building workforce housing funded by the public sector.
Largest Passivhaus Development in UK Underway
Featuring 150 Passivhaus dwelling units set amid wetlands and orchards, Architype's development in Herefordshire will also create jobs through an off-site but local prefabrication factory.
Boom is Back as Miami Condo Market Rebounds
After a sharp decline brought on by the housing crash, Miami's condo market is experiencing a squeeze on supply and an attendant building boom, reflecting a nationwide uptick in urban real estate markets.
Multifamily Home Construction Outpaces Single-Family for the First Time in CA
California's population grew by nearly 1 percent last year, driven by growth in the Bay Area and the state's other urban areas. In a significant milestone, the state built more multifamily dwellings than single-family homes for the first time.
In D.C., Nearby Projects Reveal Advantages of Effective Outreach
The divergent routes to approvals for two apartment complex developments just a mile apart show how important it is to engage both government and the surrounding community early in the process.
Dramatic Population Growth Presents Opportunity to Reshape America's Urban Environment
To accomodate America's expected population growth by 2050, the country will need to build up to 74 million new homes. This challenge presents a unique opportunity to reshape our urban environment, says Enrique Penalosa, the former mayor of Bogota.
What Types of Homes Will Be Desirable in 10 Years?
What will America's housing market look like in a decade? Will suburban homes make a comeback? Will the popularity of smaller units in urban environments continue to rise? Robert Shiller looks into his housing market crystal ball and sees haze.
Enterprise or Chaos? Cairo's DIY Urbanism
Michael Kimmelman examines the race to rebuild and redefine post-revolutionary Cairo, where residents are recreating the city and civic society, and reclaiming public spaces, from the bottom-up.
Is There a Future for Low-Rise High-Density Housing?
An exhibit that's just opened at NYC's Center for Architecture examines the brief history of a housing type that incorporated elements of suburban housing at higher densities. Can low-rise high-density houding provide a model for affordable infill?
Impacts of Redlining Live On in Home Price Disparity
According to a new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, historical biases lead to minority homebuyers paying an average of 3.5 percent more for their homes than whites, reports Matt Bevilacqua.
New York City: More Affordable Than You'd Think, for Some
For professional-class workers with annual household incomes in the top income quintile, New York is a comparatively affordable place. A recent study attributes lower costs to competition between businesses that cater to upper-income people.
Play Planner With Auckland Growth Simulator
In a quest to develop a plan to house the additional 1 million people expected to grow New Zealand's largest city in the next 30 years, Auckland is asking residents to submit ideas by using a "housing simulator" game.
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.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
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
