Housing

Urban Renaissance Continues In America's First Planned Industrial City

Since the 1970s, city officials in Lowell, Massachusetts, have been open minded to redevelopment strategies. Today, their patient efforts are paying off as condominium and apartment construction is helping to reinvent this former great textile city.

March 7, 2006 - The Boston Globe

California's Complex Migratory Patterns

California, leading the nation in job growth and personal income growth, saw a net loss of close to 30,000 residents to other states last year, according to the state's Department of Finance.

March 7, 2006 - The San Francisco Chronicle

What's Beautiful, Green, Affordable, And In Skid Row?

San Francisco Chronicle urban design writer John King comments on the city's newest 'supportive housing' development, the eight-story Plaza Apartments, located in the heart of skid row, to open on March 15.

March 7, 2006 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Six Ways Los Angeles Can Address Homelessness

Politicians, public officials and the public have come to a realization that Los Angeles needs to do something about homelessness. In a lengthy editorial, the Los Angeles Times suggests six attainable goals.

March 6, 2006 - The Los Angeles Times

McMansion Moratorium For Austin

Decision comes amid conflicting smart growth and neighborhood-level planning approaches, which differ over treatment of larger homes.

March 5, 2006 - The Austin Chronicle

Perilous Times For Housing Market

The conventional wisdom that some financial institutions or forces are 'too big to fail' will not hold true for housing: according to Peter Schiff, Fed governor Ben Bernanke is gambling with the problem of the housing bubble, not addressing it.

March 3, 2006 - PrudentBear.com

NYC Mayor To Overhaul Pro-Condo Program

Citing an increased need for housing affordability, Bloomberg establishes a task force to examine an outdated pro-development city initiative.

March 3, 2006 - The New York Observer

Elder Communes, A Growing Trend

Welcome to the first self-planned housing development for the elderly.

March 2, 2006 - The New York Times

Fair Housing Law Could Backfire

A law intended to clarify non-discriminatory requirements for lenders -- and upping violation fines dramatically -- could actually scare banks away from doing any business in Montgomery County, Maryland.

March 1, 2006 - The Baltimore Sun

Do Homeowners Associations Violate Free Speech?

Will a new bill help those entering the confusing legal labyrinth of homeowner associations, including some purported to force residents to sign away their constitutional rights?

February 28, 2006 - New Jersey Star-Ledger

U.S. Baby Boomers Drive Baja's Real Estate Boom

American bay boomers are cashing out of the U.S. housing market and trying out early retirement in Baja.

February 27, 2006 - The Los Angeles Times

Regional Plan For Bay Area Shopped To Officials

Planning for 2 million additional Bay Area residents in 25 years, three regional agencies will tie transportation funding to land use development to promote medium and high density housing within 1/2 mile of transit centers.

February 22, 2006 - San Francisco Examiner

How Much Is Your Home Worth?

A website provides an estimate of the market value of almost any home in the U.S. along with other information such as recent sale price and value of neighboring homes.

February 21, 2006 - The Los Angeles Times

New Urbanism In The City (And Edge City)

Atlanta's Atlantic Station introduces a new community to the 'trendy suburban antidote' of New Urbanism.

February 17, 2006 - Business Week

'McMansions' Center Of Debate

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin has called for a sweeping update of the city's zoning ordinance in the face of the 'McMansionization' of some of the city's intown neighborhoods.

February 16, 2006 - Atlanta Journal Constitution

The Revival of Detroit's Housing Market

For the first time in decades Detroit has captured the largest increase in housing units for its seven county metro area, despite still large numbers of people leaving the city on an annual basis.

February 16, 2006 - The Detroit Free Press

Mobile Home Parks Disappear Amid Real Estate Boom

Residents of mobile home parks being bulldozed to make way for new homes and apartments find they have no place to go.

February 15, 2006 - The Los Angeles Times

Mike Davis's New Book: Planet Of Slums

What event is 'a watershed in human history, comparable to the Neolithic or Industrial revolutions'?

February 15, 2006 - The Village Voice

California's Only Affordable County

In remote Modoc County, the median home price just passed $100,000 -- and this only six-and-a-half hours from San Francisco.

February 14, 2006 - The Los Angeles Times

The Price Of History

Residents of Rome's historic center are protesting exorbitant rental prices, prompting a decree from Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi postponing a slew of evictions.

February 14, 2006 - Associated Press via Chicago Tribune

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

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.