Housing
Figures Say Things Look Good, But Don't Account For Slumping Economy
New census figures have been released, showing a rise in median household income and more people with health insurance. But experts warn that the figures do not account for the recent slump in the economy.
A Look at Housing in South Africa
Posh gated communities are juxtaposed with shanty towns in South Africa, where a constitutional housing guarantee is seen by many as a far-off dream.
Fighting Blight, Cities Become Realtors
Boston, Minneapolis and San Diego are flipping houses in an effort to prevent neighborhood blight- a strategy that appears to be working.
The 250 Sq. Ft. Condo
Technically these are SROs- Single Room Occupancy units, but it's a spanking new building, cafe below, in the vibrant SoMa district, starting at only $279,000. The catch: some units are only 250 sq.ft.
Five Cities Fighting Abandonment
This article from Developer looks at five cities that are dealing creatively with their foreclosure and abandonment problems.
Mixed-Use Faces Mixed Reviews in Fullerton
In Fullerton, CA, a dense new mixed-use building is facing criticism from neighbors and residents. 'All of a sudden we get one of these mixed-use buildings, [and] it's like a fort got dropped out of the sky,' says one neighbor.
Hidden Housing: People Are Creating Their Own Idiosyncratic Solutions
Vancouver Magazine takes a look at the many ways people create their own housing solutions outside the norm, from mortgage sharing to garage renovations to illegal units.
City Tries To Curb 'Spite Landscaping'
A city in the midst of a revitalization effort has targeted landscape designs allegedly aimed at spiting the neighbors.
Housing Crash Forgot Dallas
In this segment from NPR, a Dallas residential realtor talks about how his city -- where the average price has actually gone up about 2% over the last year -- has bucked the national downward housing trend.
British Columbia Considers Carbon-Neutral Construction By 2020
In British Columbia, a proposal to require all new buildings to be carbon-neutral is being considered. The rule would require that buildings have no carbon footprint by 2020.
Plans Vary for Foreclosure Relief Funds
Foreclosure-stricken cities and states are looking forward to receiving federal relief funding. Their plans for using the funding vary.
Troubles for D.C.'s Building Repair Program
A Washington D.C. project to clean up and repair dilapidated buildings in the city is coming under scrutiny for shoddy work and millions of dollars in public money that are virtually unaccounted for.
Vacation Home Shareholding
The American trend of "fractional ownership", a real estate concept in which a number of investors own fractions of vacation homes, has moved to Europe.
The $1 Home
A foreclosed property in Detroit was recently put on the market at a selling price of just one dollar.
When Housing Market Rebounds, Green Building May Boom
The current downturn in the housing industry may be opening the door for a greener upswing.
New, Unfinished Housing Turns to Ghost Town
Early buyers in new housing developments are finding themselves stranded in virtual ghost towns as developers go belly up.
Decline in Homeless: Figures in Question
HUD's new report shows an astonishing decline in homelessness across the United States, but some groups are saying that they are too good to be true.
Builder Says Inclusionary Zoning Doesn't Work
In this op-ed, a builders association representative argues that proposals for inclusionary zoning laws in Minnesota that require a certain percentage of affordable housing do not achieve the goals they aim for.
Affordable Housing Relief Coming to Southern California
In the same week that Congress passed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, Los Angeles announcemed the New Generation Fund, a $100 million program for affordable housing.
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
