Land Use
Austin as a Model for Parking Reform
The Texas capital’s new parking law signals a shift in thinking about the relationship between land use, transportation, and housing affordability.
Vermont Next State in Line to End Single-Family Zoning, Ease Parking Requirements
Both houses in the Vermont Legislature have approved legislation to preempt local land use regulations by rescinding single-family zoning and easing parking requirements throughout the state.
Federal and State Dollars Could Be Used to Force Change in Exclusionary Towns
Strict zoning policies keep housing unaffordable. But there are strategies governments can implement to change exclusionary housing policies and promote the construction of more affordable housing.
When a Land Bank Starts a Land Trust
An Ohio land bank adds to its developing power through a community land trust.
New York Suspends Land Use Reviews for Shelters
The Adams administration in New York City will relax the review process for homeless shelters to create new space for arriving asylum seekers.
New York City's Dancing Prohibition Remains a Barrier to Entry, Equality
New York’s 1960s-era zoning code still prohibits dancing in small bars and restaurants in more than 80 percent of the city, but Mayor Eric Adams and advocates want to change that.
Where Permissive Zoning Codes Slowed Rent Growth
Recent analysis from the Pew Research Center identifies more support for zoning reform as a tool for maintaining the affordability of rental housing in U.S. cities.
Toronto Approves Multiplex Housing Citywide
The city hopes streamlining the construction of multifamily housing will slow the growth of housing costs and prevent the displacement of residents as the city grows.
Continuing the Fight for Housing in New York State
After the governor’s ambitious housing proposal failed to make headway in the state legislature, one lawyer argues Hochul should use executive power to move the needle forward on housing production.
Is it Time to Revise D.C.’s Height Act?
The century-old rule has shaped the District’s iconic horizontal skyline, but some Council members say it need revision in light of the region’s growing housing crisis.
How to Make Office Conversions Easier
To encourage more housing production, lawmakers could help make the costly and time-consuming adaptive reuse process easier and more cost-effective.
Mitigating the Environmental Footprint of Sprawl
There is still time to reverse the environmental outcomes of American suburbs. Researchers in Los Angeles, considered by many to be the poster child for U.S. sprawl, have been at work on the problem for years.
Landmark Land Use Bill Fails in Colorado Legislature
Colorado Governor Jared Polis’s effort to allow for more housing construction by preempting local control of zoning failed to achieve the required level of political support in the state legislature.
Report: West Coast Must Come to Terms With Managed Retreat
As sea levels rise, experts say coastal communities have to overcome their resistance to managed retreat and plan for relocation.
Remote Work and the Shift to Suburbia
Is the growth of working from home turning America into a ‘suburban nation?’
Austin Eliminates Parking Requirements
After eliminating downtown parking requirements ten years ago, the city will now end minimum parking mandates citywide.
Parking Reform Bill to be Introduced at Federal Level
The legislation, which would ban parking requirements near transit to encourage housing development and bring down housing costs, would be a rare federal preemption of local control.
Conservation Easement Program Protects 100,000 Acres of Agricultural Land in New York State
A state famous for its largest city is making a concerted effort to protect agricultural lands as part of a larger national push.
L.A.’s 30x30 Goals: Conservation and Restoration
Learn more about Los Angeles County's Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) which focuses on land conservation and restoration, regional recreation, and rural recreation to address climate change, protect biodiversity, and meet the needs of residents.
Charlotte’s New Zoning Code, Set to Launch in June, Faces Tough Tests
Faced with the challenges and controversies of rapid growth, Charlotte has approved a new comprehensive plan and unified development code in recent years.
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.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
