Housing

Millennials: They Came, They Saw... They Stayed?

According to Haya El Nasser, cities across America have succeeded in attracting young professionals for over a decade. “They came, they played, they stayed,” she writes. But, she asks, will these Millennials stick around as they age and have kids?

December 5, 2012 - USA Today

lego new york

World's Tallest "Lego" Tower to Rise in Brooklyn

An agreement between Forest City Ratner and NYC's labor unions has cleared the way for the construction of Atlantic Yards's next phase. The 32-story prefabricated apartment building will be the tallest of its kind in the world, reports Matt Chaban.

December 5, 2012 - The New York Observer

The Most Expensive Family Housing in the USA

No other place even comes close for values of 4 bedroom, 2 bath single family homes. Five of the six priciest cities in the U.S. are located in Silicon Valley, with median home values ranging from $1.44 million to $1.7 million for #1 ranked Los Altos

December 3, 2012 - Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal

Micro-Apartments Proposal Passes San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Don't call these modern apartments SROs - they go by 'micro-apartments', and they just received a significant approval, 375 of them, that is. One more step awaits: Mayor Ed Lee must give his blessing, and he appears rather non-committal.

December 1, 2012 - San Francisco Chronicle

Builders Respond to Desire for Multigenerational Homes

The new American household is much like the old multigenerational household that existed before World War II, recent population trends show. And builders are responding by offering "bonus" and "flex" rooms, while circumventing outdated zoning.

November 30, 2012 - The New York Times

Urban Planning Becomes a Weapon in Syrian Civil War

It's still far from clear what the political outcome of Syria's civil war will be. But for the country's built environment, the effects are stunningly evident. Millions of buildings have been damaged or destroyed since March 2011.

November 30, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

World population

High Density Means More Economic Growth and More Happiness, Too

Using new analysis of recent US Census data, Richard Florida demonstrates that “[c]ities and regions where density is more concentrated near their urban cores — appear to gain the biggest economic advantage.” That, and a tad more happiness.

November 30, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

The Cost of Exclusivity in Gated Communities

Gated communities such as Sea Gate in Brooklyn and Breezy Point in Queens "have long held the rest of the city at arm’s length." Following Hurricane Sandy, residents are now seeking financial assistance from the city to rebuild their homes.

November 29, 2012 - The New York Times

Parking 'Surplus' Poses Problems For Brooklyn

Too much parking and too much transit creates a glut of unneeded parking. Of course, this is by design - that is, zoning design, where Downtown Brooklyn developers are required to accommodate new residents of their new buildings with large garages.

November 29, 2012 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

What subprime crisis? Affordable houses are everywhere.

A Tiny-House Model Community Sprouts in D.C.

While cities like New York and San Francisco consider ways to incentivize the development of micro apartments, a Northeast Washington neighborhood has become home to an experiment in small house production.

November 28, 2012 - The Washington Post

Teaching Architects to Succeed While Serving the Public Interest

The Public Interest Design Institute encourages architects to embrace participatory approaches in design that address complex social needs; demonstrating that it's possible to "make a career as an architect serving those who need the most help."

November 28, 2012 - American Institute of Architects

How TODs Fared Through the Housing Crash

Transit-oriented developments multiplied and held their values comparatively well in the housing crisis. In this article, Josh Stephens explores whether the trend will continue post-recession, or if sprawl is poised for a comeback.

November 28, 2012 - InTransition Magazine

After the Storm, Public Housing Still Needs a Boost

The New York City Housing Authority is facing scrutiny after residents went almost a month without power, Nicole Anderson reports.

November 25, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Fighting Homelessness, or Fighting the Homeless?

Martha Bridegam investigates the aftermath of a forced eviction at a homeless encampment in San Francisco. Do the homeless deserve to be criminalized?

November 24, 2012 - The Global Urbanist

Friday Funny: "Our House, in the Middle of Our Street"

In China, the concerns of the few are unlikely to stand in the way of progress for the many. This has been made abundantly clear in Zhejiang province where a new motorway has been built around the home of a couple that has refused to move.

November 23, 2012 - The Independent

Rising to the Real Challenge of Sandy

Michael Kimmelman takes a hard look at the political and bureaucratic obstacles that stand in the way of a forward-thinking approach to rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

November 23, 2012 - The New York Times

Miami's Real Estate Heats Up, Could a Thunderstorm Be Far Off?

Despite all odds, “Miami’s roller coaster real estate market is booming again” reports Nadja Brandt. Is "the hottest [residential] real estate market in the U.S." primed to boil over?

November 22, 2012 - Business Week

The Secret Plans for Containing New York's Next Housing Emergency

Hurricane Sandy exposed the need for New York City to be able to house large numbers of residents following natural disasters. Matt Chaban examines the Bloomberg administration's "secret" plan to build modular apartments out of shipping containers.

November 22, 2012 - The New York Observer

Wendell's World: In Housing, Supply Equals Demand

Is it really 2012? Maybe so, but Bill Fulton says Wendell Cox isn't living there -- at least based on his latest "analysis" of Southern California's housing trends.

November 21, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

How Can Architects Help in Disaster Relief?

Using post-Sandy New York as a case study, C.J. Hughes looks at the extent to which architects can be helpful in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster.

November 21, 2012 - Architizer

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.