Housing

Mortgage Crisis Fueling America's Homelessness Boom

The mortgage crisis is contributing to a dramatic increase in homeless families.

October 15, 2007 - Common Dreams

Skewed Coverage Of The Homeless?

A San Francisco lawyer and housing activist questions the paper's focus on problematic street behavior and on law enforcement as the only way to deal with the city's homeless population.

October 14, 2007 - BeyondChron

Local Measures Downsize McMansions

Cities across the country are passing measures to limit the size of new homes -- an attack on the much-derided "McMansionization" of America. Restrictions range from outright bans to innovative cap-and-trade schemes.

October 12, 2007 - Architectural Record

L.A. OKs Sidewalk Sleeping

City officials in Los Angeles have come to a settlement with homeless advocates that will allow anyone to sleep on the sidewalk until the city builds 1,250 affordable housing units, which could take up to five years.

October 12, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

New York To Build Affordable Housing For Educators

The development of more than 200 units of affordable housing intended for teachers and public school officials has been announced in the South Bronx.

October 11, 2007 - New York Daily News

A Working Class Neighborhood Battle With Foreclosure

In the struggling city of Lawrence, Massachusetts, sub-prime mortgage foreclosures are threatening the community's stability and the longterm viability of the city's minority and working class neighborhoods.

October 10, 2007 - The Boston Globe

Affordable Housing In Ikea Town

Swedish retailer Ikea has announced the availability of 90 pre-fabricated eco-freindly homes, complete with a plot of land in the English town of Gateshead. The house-land combos start at $200,000, and preference is given to low-income buyers.

October 10, 2007 - The Guardian

Housing Slowdown Impacts Baltimore's Rebirth

The housing bubble helped the city spur redevelopment of its central core. With the downturn, officials wonder if Baltimore can hold onto the progress it made towards revitalization.

October 5, 2007 - The New York Times

The Housing Slowdown

Home sales and prices continue to drop to new lows.

October 3, 2007 - The New York Times

Where The Housing Market Has Stabilized

Forbes Magazine has released a list of the most stable housing markets in America. Included in the list are Seattle, Pittsburgh, and Dallas.

October 3, 2007 - Forbes

America's First Suburb Turns 60

Levittown, Long Island held a 60th birthday bash for itself on Sept. 30, complete with parades, to celebrate its creation from a potato field for GIs returning from World War II. It would go on to become America's iconic suburb.

October 2, 2007 - Yahoo News

Designing Shelter For After The Storm

Architects in New York are trying to develop new types of long-term temporary housing as part of a design competition sponsored by the city and non-profit groups.

October 1, 2007 - Newsday

What's Wrong With ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act has generally been the subject of much controversy and debate, but especially amongst planners and developers.

September 28, 2007 - New Towns

NOLA Demolitions Exacerbate Housing Discrimination

Mass demolitions of apartments and housing discrimination are adding to African-Americans' post-Katrina recovery woes.

September 27, 2007 - Common Dreams

PM Brown Boosts Eco-Town Efforts

New British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced plans to double the development of carbon-conscious "eco-towns" in an effort to reduce the country's emissions and expand its strained housing stock.

September 27, 2007 - BBC

Suburban Boston Lashes Out Against McMansions

Residents and planners are just about fed up with McMansions in the Bsoton suburb of Wellesley, and they are looking to impose strict regulations on housing size and give a residential board oversight on proposed houses.

September 27, 2007 - The Boston Globe

Sacramento's Core Fills In

After years of trying to get more properties built for sale downtown, new urban infill projects are springing up in Sacramento's core.

September 26, 2007 - The Sacramento Bee

Cheaper To House The Homeless In B.C.

Government research form British Columbia has shown that it costs cities more than $12,000 per homeless person per year. Some are saying it would be cheaper for the city to give them housing than to keep them on the streets.

September 25, 2007 - Times Colonist

Abandoned Luxury Condos Morph Into Affordable Housing

With the downturn in the housing market, a planned luxury condo tower in Downtown San Diego has been reworked into an affordable housing development.

September 24, 2007 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Affordable Housing Bill Gathers Momentum

A bill originally introduced in 1987 that would create a trust fund to support the creation of affordable housing may be on its way to congressional approval this fall.

September 24, 2007 - U.S. News And World Report

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.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

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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.