Housing

Exurban Construction

How Minimum Size Requirements Hamper Housing Production

Minimum square footage requirements are preventing many property owners from building on their lots, despite no evidence that they bring any safety benefits or maintain high property values.

May 19, 2022 - Forbes

A group of socially distanced tents for the homeless are set up on a parking lot in San Francisco's Civic Center.

Number of Unhoused People Lower in San Francisco, but Growing Across the Bay Area

While the city saw fewer people experiencing homelessness for the first time in years, homelessness across six Bay Area counties grew by 8 percent.

May 18, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

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

Minneapolis Housing Activists Hope To Revive 2014 Federal Complaint

A 2014 complaint about segregated housing lodged with the Department of Housing and Urban Development could revive integrationist housing policies to improve opportunities for all residents.

May 18, 2022 - Governing

Single-Family Housing Development

Report: How Housing Inequity Shrinks Economic Opportunities

Increasingly unaffordable housing in most U.S. metropolitan areas is pushing low-income workers farther away, decreasing their access to economic opportunities.

May 18, 2022 - National Equity Atlas

Downtown Dallas

Short-Term Rentals Vex Dallas City Council

Residents complain that vacation rentals exacerbate the city’s housing shortage and bring traffic and noise to residential neighborhoods, calling on the city to impose—and enforce—stricter regulations.

May 17, 2022 - The Dallas Morning News

Homelessness

Fewer People Experiencing Homelessness in San Francisco

In a first since 2015, the number of people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco declined from the year prior, according to preliminary analysis of the city’s most recent Point-in-Time count.

May 17, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

State Capital of Utah

Affordable Housing Proposal Faces Backlash in Salt Lake City

A public hearing last week revealed widespread opposition to a plan to loosen density and height limits and reduce parking requirements to encourage more developers to build affordable housing.

May 17, 2022 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Mount Rainier

New Community Engagement Practices for Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan Update

A major update of Seattle’s comprehensive plan is just getting under way, with new opportunities for local groups to get involved with outreach and engagement.

May 16, 2022 - Capitol Hill Seattle Blog

Single-Family Housing Construction

New White House Housing Initiative Includes Zoning Reform Incentives

The Biden administration this morning released a new program of actions intended to spur housing construction around the United States.

May 16, 2022 - The White House

Cottages on Western Avenue, Chicago, Illinois

Redevelopment Threatens Iconic, Affordable Chicago Homes

The ‘workers’ cottages’ are being replaced with larger, more expensive homes, threatening one of the city’s original forms of affordable housing.

May 16, 2022 - WTTW

New Jersey

Newark Working to Stem the Tide of Wall Street Investors in the Residential Market

A new study by researchers at Rutgers University reveals the scale of Wall Street’s reach into the Newark, New Jersey, housing market—LLCs and private equity accounted for 47 percent of residential real estate transactions from 2017 to early 2020.

May 16, 2022 - The Star-Ledger

San Francisco Houses

‘Mega-Landlords’ Threaten Housing Stability for Renters

As institutional investors buy up a larger share of single-family homes, the families renting them are increasingly vulnerable to rent increases and eviction.

May 15, 2022 - The Hill

Highway sign for Santa Ana, California

Southern California City Raises Development Fees on Housing

In the midst of a historic housing crisis, the city of Santa Ana is raising fees on housing construction, which housing advocates fear will drive developers from the city.

May 13, 2022 - CALmatters

Twin Cities

Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think

Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.

May 13, 2022 - Reason

Tampa Bay Storm

Resilience and Affordable Housing Key Topics at Florida Conference

The conference brought together local planners and policymakers to develop strategies for boosting resilience in coastal areas while maintaining affordable housing stock.

May 13, 2022 - St. Pete Catalyst

Silicon Valley

Developer Plans To Build Over 500 Housing Units on San Jose Parking Lot

A surface parking lot in San Jose could be redeveloped into a mixed-use development with housing, offices, and retail.

May 12, 2022 - Mercury News

Aerial view of Main Street, Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania

Report: Black Homebuyers in Pennsylvania Still Face Discrimination

People of color are more likely to be denied loans, perpetuating historic redlining practices and blocking families from accumulating intergenerational wealth through homeownership.

May 12, 2022 - WESA

hand holding house key with house-shaped keychain and house in background

What Is Supportive Housing?

Supportive housing combines affordable housing with social services providers to help people experiencing homelessness, disability, or other hardships transition to permanent housing.

May 11, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Early morning view of new neighborhoods and Route 215 from the top of Lone Mountain in Northwest Las Vegas.

Report: Nevada Housing Shortage Worst in the Nation

Nevada’s explosive growth is creating a severe housing shortage, with the state needing almost 80,000 affordable housing units to meet demand.

May 11, 2022 - Las Vegas Weekly

Wood-framed apartment building under construction with red crane in background

Critics Call Out City Housing Plans for Unrealistic Projections

Meanwhile, cities say the state’s housing needs assessment sets impossible goals for affordable housing production.

May 11, 2022 - The Orange County Register

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.

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The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.