Housing
McMansions: They're Baaack
Well that didn't take long. After falling out of favor during the economic downturn, AnnaMaria Andriotis examines how the rise in new home sales is being driven in part by demand for those maligned symbols of conspicuous consumption.
Is George Lucas Inciting Class Warfare With a Proposed Development?
Norimitsu Onishi describes a feud ripe for the pages of a Hollywood script, between movie mogul George Lucas and his wealthy neighbors over his plans to build affordable housing in Marin County.
The "Crazy Days" of Homeownership Are Over - But That's a Good Thing
Sara Robinson explains how the historical view of American homeownership -- that of a life-long commitment to place and "housey goodness" with no expectation of financial gain -- may be coming back.
Thirty-Four Bold Ideas for Transforming Toronto
The Grid solicited ideas from some of Toronto's smartest people for how to make the city better, no matter what the cost or feasibility. David Topping and Katie Underwood deliver the inventive results.
Is Neighborhood Activism Stifling Community Planning?
Roger Valdez gives his take on the new obstructionism that is dominating public participation and holding up much-needed growth in Seattle and elsewhere.
San Francisco Emerges From a Housing Slump
John Wildermuth discusses San Francisco's bounce back from a tremendous slowdown in new housing construction last year.
The Changing Tastes of the 55+ Housing Market
Jill P. Capuzzo describes the shift in consumer demand for different amenities in homes targeted for the 55+ market, and how loosening age and cost limitations have helped such developments survive in a segment hit especially hard by the downturn.
After the Crash: How Will People Live and Spend in the New Economy?
Kathleen Madigan takes a look at new research that considers the shift in America's living situations, and what it means for consumer behavior.
Quality of Place Trumps Density, says Richard Florida
Ten years after publishing of The Rise of the Creative Class, the prominent city-booster says high-rises are “vertical suburbs” and we need “urban environments that stir the spirit.”
The Housing Market Revolution
Haya El Nasser describes the housing market's fundamental structural changes as the housing industry rethinks what type of housing to build and where to build it.
Top 10 Websites - 2012
Our annual list of the 10 best planning, design, and development websites represents some of the top online resources for news, information and research on the built environment.
Where Should You Take Your Diploma?
Just graduated? For the 60% of you who won't be moving back home, Richard Florida examines the best places for college grads to find jobs, housing, friends, and a little spending money.
Habitat for Humanity Builds Big in Portland
Kirk Johnson chronicles the nonprofit housing builder's move into larger-scale housing development in Oregon, as it takes advantage of the depressed real estate market, and the kindness of donors.
Has New Urbanism Reached a Midlife Crisis?
On the occasion of the 20th Congress for the New Urbanism, running through the weekend in West Palm Beach, Anthony Flint looks at what happens when a revolutionary movement becomes part of the establishment.
An Argument for Housing Choice
Trying to thread the needle between those who celebrate the demise of the exurb and those who bemoan smart growth policies, Edward Glaeser argues that we can, and should, have it all when it comes to housing choice in America.
In the Wake of Foreclosures, Nationwide Rents Hit All-Time High
Struggling families and young professionals are competing for a dwindling supply of ever more pricey rentals, Alejandro Lazo reports.
D.C.'s Rapidly Disappearing Affordable Housing
In a city that survived the recession better than most, efforts to meet the demand for upscale housing will "change the face of the city for decades to come," reports Annys Shin.
Why Are Condos Such a Tough Sell in LA?
As a number of luxury high-rise condo buildings struggle to sell their units, Alexei Barrionuevo looks at the difficulty of selling a high-density lifestyle in a city "where the seriously wealthy overwhelmingly prefer living in extravagant estates."
India's Megacity Discusses its Mega-Problems
Naresh Fernandes chronicles a recent upsurge in events providing opportunities for Mumbai's residents, and fascinated guests, to discuss the city's myriad challenges, and possible solutions. But can all the talk result in real action?
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
