Housing

Three-story apartment buildings in Takoma Village, a cohousing complex in Washington, D.C.

Building Community With Cohousing

Developers and buyers create new models for housing that hold the promise of a more environmentally friendly, connected, and multigenerational way of living.

May 10, 2023 - Urban Land Online

Large suburban homes on cul-de-sac in Maryland against sunset sky

Remote Work and the Shift to Suburbia

Is the growth of working from home turning America into a ‘suburban nation?’

May 10, 2023 - Fortune

View of back of moving van with back door open, loaded with boxes, next to a line of two-story apartment buildings.

Low-Income Residents Less Likely to Move During the Pandemic, Freddie Mac Says

Does low-income residents staying put in large metro areas, relative to higher-income groups, mean that low-income households are missing out on affordable housing options? Freddie Mac researchers think so.

May 9, 2023 - Freddie Mac

Large single-family homes on hillside in Los Angeles, California

Well Intended Housing Tax Could Wreak Havoc in L.A.

A new transfer tax that intends to fund affordable housing might end up crushing Los Angeles's multifamily market—at exactly the wrong time.

May 8, 2023 - California Planning & Development Report

White multistory Hilton Hotel in Queens, New York

First Hotel Conversion to Begin in New York

A pandemic-era program designed to streamline the conversion of hotels into housing stalled, with the first project just now making its way through the pipeline.

May 5, 2023 - The New York Times

Clse-up of "Just Say No To Over Development" yard sign on green lawn

Thinking About Right-NIMBYism

Some conservatives oppose new housing on the ground that exclusion will “save” their neighborhoods from poor people. Is there any response to these arguments?

May 5, 2023 - Michael Lewyn

California Houses

California Growth Report: Housing Up, Population Down

Good and bad news can be found in the most recent demographic report from the California Department of Finance. The population dropped by nearly 140,000 last year while housing grew at the highest rate in 14 years.

May 4, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Trailer park and line of bare winter trees in the distance over a golden field on the Colorado prairie.

Study: Housing Assistance Programs Not Enough for Rural Renters

Many housing and human services providers say their programs are underfunded as the housing crisis in rural parts of America grows.

May 4, 2023 - Urban Wire

Colorfu rowhouses in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Examining Philadelphia’s Zoning Overlay Districts

A decades-old policy allowing hyperlocal zoning exemptions and restrictions creates a confusing patchwork of zoning regulations across the city.

May 4, 2023 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Seattle skyline panorama seen from Kerry Park at sunset in golden evening light with Mount Rainier in the background, Washington State, United States of America

Washington Cities Balance Housing Development and Tree Canopy

Cities like Seattle and Bellingham are working to increase housing density while also preserving urban trees and green spaces.

May 3, 2023 - The Urbanist

Texas State Capital

Austin Employs Team to Help Residents Avoid Displacement

The city’s new Displacement Prevention Navigators will conduct outreach and assist with finding resources to help cost-burdened residents at risk of losing their housing stay in their homes.

May 3, 2023 - Route Fifty

Wooden rowhouses with white fences in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Set to Make Historic Affordable Housing Investment

Public and private funding pledges could inject $300 million into affordable housing initiatives in the metro Atlanta area.

May 3, 2023 - Saporta Report

Texas Capitol Building

Bill Legalizing ADUs Passes Texas Senate

If passed by the full state legislature, the bill would eliminate local restrictions on ‘mother-in-law’ units.

May 1, 2023 - FOX 4 News

Texas

Dallas Plan Would Spend $400 Million to Support Affordable Housing

A proposed bond referendum would be the city’s largest-ever affordable housing investment.

May 1, 2023 - NBC DFW

View of houses on small street in Raleigh, North Carolina against a sunset sky

North Carolina’s Triangle Faces Growing Pains

The region’s rapid growth and high housing costs are prompting a contentious debate over zoning changes that would boost density.

April 27, 2023 - Axios

Aerial view of gold Colorado state capitol building with green park and city beyond

Upzoning Gutted From Colorado’s Statewide Housing Reform Effort

Colorado’s “More Homes Now” bill has been drastically reduced in scope and ambition, showing the contemporary zoning reform movement still has obstacles to overcome.

April 26, 2023 - The Colorado Sun

Curvy street lined with houses in Issaquah Highlands outside Seattle, Washington

Wealthy Washington Neighborhoods Could Remain Untouched by Zoning Reforms

Neighborhoods with preexisting internal contracts are exempted from new legislation requiring all Washington cities to permit duplexes and other ‘missing middle housing.’

April 26, 2023 - The Seattle Times

View of New York City from Williamsburg, Brooklyn

New York Mayor Proposes Zoning Amendments to Boost Housing Supply

After Governor Hochul’s statewide housing plan collapsed during budget talks, the city will weigh a series of zoning changes that could increase housing production and remove barriers to sustainability retrofits.

April 26, 2023 - Politico

Hand holding candle toward small electrical fuse box in the dark

California Developments Wait Months for Power

In areas served by PG&E, new developments sometimes have to wait months before the utility will turn on the power, creating extra costs for builders and keeping new affordable housing units off the market.

April 25, 2023 - Politico

An image of St. Paul, Minnesota and the Mississippi River at nightfall.

St. Paul Apartment Construction Slows; Rent Control Under Scrutiny

Apartment permits declined by 48 percent in the past year in St. Paul. The city’s voters approved one of the nation’s most aggressive rent stabilization ordinances in November 2021.

April 25, 2023 - Pioneer Press

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Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

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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.