Housing
Developer Avoids Infrastructure Costs In Nebraska
A large subdivision in Nebraska is generating controversy over a zoning change that allows the developer to avoid paying for road improvements and maintenance. Residents fear this will open the door for other developers to find the same loophole.
Are Real Estate Reviews A Good Thing?
Two new web sites, ZipRealty, Inc. and Reply Inc., allow customers to post reviews of homes. Some are meant to be humorous, but some are mean-spirited and misleading. Is this the future of on-line real estate?
Maryland Sewage Treatment Tax Is Green Light For Developers
A Maryland statewide tax that provides communities with funding to improve sewage treatment facilities has been used as an excuse to increase sprawling development.
Mid-Decade Census Numbers Fuel Confusion And Doubt
California cities are getting a look at the results of the U. S. Census Bureau's first American Community Survey of medium-sized cities; some officials grouse at the 'funny numbers'--they just don’t add up.
'Neutron Bomb' Mortgages Set to Blow in '07
Option adjustable rate mortgages(ARM) have in recent years been offered to thousands of middle-income homeowners who may soon face "personal catastrophe" as their loans reset, doubling their monthly payments.
Architect Unveils Walkable Plan For Gulf Community
Architect James Polk is setting up to begin work on his plan for a walkable and sustainable community in the Gulf Coast region.
D.C. Weighs Requiring More Residential Parking
Fairfax County planning officials in Washington D.C. are considering raising the amount of parking required in new residential housing developments, while other county officials are seeking a reduction.
Urban Fringe Development Debated In South Africa
A draft spatial development framework in Cape Town has created a rift between developers and city planners over how much and what type of development should be allowed to push out to the city's urban fringe.
Court Pours Cold Water On Deltona's Hot Annexation Plans
Recent ruling by a Florida court says that the annexed property is not contiguous to the city, thus halting the proposed development plan.
Melbourne Evicts Artists, Raises Rent
Artists in Melbourne, Australia, have been evicted as the city seeks to turn their studios into condos. The city likes the artist culture, but the artists cannot provide the higher rents the gentrifying city requires.
Atlanta Greens With $2.8 Billion 'Beltline'
A plan is unfolding to create a 22-mile loop of green space and transit routes in downtown Atlanta, one of the most car-dependent cities in America. The plan started out as a graduate student's thesis and is now fully adopted by the city.
Duany Brings Charrette To Scotland
Scotland calls on Andres Duany and his firm to develop a housing plan for Inverness, which is facing rapid population growth. Duany plans to employ the charrette to hear the voice of the Scottish people, who have been engulfed in sprawl for decades.
Eminent Domain Threatened On Exclusive Golf Course In Caracas
Property rights in Venezuela's largest city continue to be strained by Caracas Mayor Juan Barreto who hopes to seize two elite, private golf courses and convert them to low-income housing to tackle Caracas' chronic housing shortage.
D.C. Developments Are Successfully Bland
Large housing developments popping up in Washington D.C. are gaining praise from the city's leadership for reinvigorating a once desolate area. But the developments are also garnering criticism for failing to weave residents in with the city.
Ratcheting Down Density
Without a viable mass transit system and concentrated employment centers, Atlanta should reduce allowable density and build more roads, says one columnist.
Australia's PM Says Sprawl Is The Price For Cheap Housing
Prime Minister John Howard says that a lack of residentially zoned land is to blame for Australia's growing affordable housing shortage.
The Criminalization of Homelessness
Treating homelessness as a criminal justice issue not only represents a waste of civic resources, but fails to address the root causes of homelessness, writes Tulin Ozdeger, an attorney at the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.
Bigger Incomes, Bigger Homes, Less Satisfaction
Americans are buying bigger homes and on average, to house fewer people. Ironically, their satisfaction in housing choice has eroded somewhat over the last twenty years.
Transit Oriented Development On The Rise In Atlanta
After years of inactivity, new mixed-use developments are sprouting around MARTA transit stations.
Three-part Series On Rebuilding From Katrina, A Year Later
The Christian Science Monitor runs a feature-length, three-part series that examines the people, money, and environment on the Gulf Coast one year after Katrina.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
