Housing
Irvine, Former Subprime Capital, Struggles in Wake of Meltdown
While housing markets in the rest of the country reel from the mortgage crisis, Irvine, the city that was once home to 18 subprime lenders, is seeing its local economy suffer as the effects of high profile bankruptcies ripples to other businesses.
'Tent City' for Residents Only
A "tent city" established in the Southern California city of Ontario for occupation by homeless people has been temporarily shut down as city officials and police attempt to evict people without clear ties to the city.
U.S. Cities Face Housing Abandonment Crisis
Cities are trying different strategies -- including lawsuits and selling off housing units for $1.00 -- to deal with mass housing abandonment.
Affordable Housing Bill May Hurt Affordable Housing In Vermont
A bill intended to expand the stock of affordable housing in Middlebury, Vermont, is coming under criticism for actually making it harder for developers to build affordable housing.
Review Halted for Major L.A. Housing Project
Review of a project that would have added more than 5,500 homes to the fringes of Los Angeles has been halted after a recent City Council vote. Many expect this to be the death knell for the project.
Influx of Luxury Towers Transforms New York
Luxury residential towers are popping up all over New York City, bringing about what one critic calls the "greatest transformation in the city’s physical identity since the 1960s".
Ballot Measure to Weigh Eminent Domain in California
Two ballot measures on the June ballot in California will challenge the state's eminent domain and rent control rules.
'Slumburbia': Exurban Decay Spurred By Mortgage Crisis
The mortgage crisis is devastating many communities far from urban centers, while 'inner cities', regionally speaking, are weathering the financial storm far better thanks to their urban form that makes them attractive to those that can afford them.
Domestic Migration Slows Even In Sunbelt Due To Housing Crisis
The nation's housing downturn has spread to the fastest growing counties in the sunbelt, where most saw reduced domestic migration in the year ending July 1, 2007, while more rural counties experienced population losses.
Will the Housing Bubble Swallow the Fed?
J.P. Morgan's federally-back purchase of Bear Stearns holds billions in dubious "mortgage backed securities," and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are pumping hundreds of billions into the market. Time may be running out for the Federal Reserve.
The Movie Star and the Power of Architecture
Actor Brad Pitt's efforts to rebuild housing in New Orleans are not just flashy PR, but rather a reminder that architecture can make a difference, according to this article from Metropolis.
Subprime Tent Cities
This video from the BBC looks at the ten cities that have sprung up outside of L.A. as a result of the subprime mortgage meltdown.
Miami in a Vice
In Miami, speculators inflated the housing market by buying and flipping condos. Now with the market deflating and a host of condo towers still under construction, Miami may be the worst major real estate market in the world.
Downsize Now!
Stan Cox argues that the massive square footage of so many modern houses -- no matter how "energy efficient" the construction -- is a luxury the planet can no longer afford.
D.C. Plans Crackdown on Abusive Landlords and Condo Conversions
City councilors in Washington D.C. have proposed a plan to throw out exemptions that allowed hundreds of landlords to evict residents with little or no notice so they could convert buildings to high priced condos.
Is Chicago's 'Transformed' Cabrini-Green 'Too Good for Poor People'?
As a part of Chicago's $1.4 billion "Plan for Transformation," the once massive Cabrini-Green project has been redeveloped into a mix of affordable, public and market housing. But 80% of the former tenants have moved away.
Russian Army Plans Massive Land Auction
In order to raise money to provide much-needed housing for its soldiers, the Russian Army has plans to auction of millions of dollars worth of property -- from huge mansions to entire towns.
Wilshire Grows and Traffic Follows
A swath of residential developments are ushering in a more dense and more lively atmosphere into L.A.'s Wilshire corridor. But many are concerned that the new residences will add too much traffic to an already congested area.
Clamoring for Urbanity in Waco
Proposed housing developments in the urban core of Waco, Texas, have given many in the city high hopes for a denser, more vibrant central city.
'Vultures' Descend on Cheapened Properties
Housing price drops in cities like Miami have "vulture-like" buyers swooping in to snatch up properties.
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.
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
