Land Use

To Build More Affordable Housing, Start With Narrower Streets
New research shows that reducing wasteful use of street space and eliminating overly wide streets would increase opportunities for housing development and higher density.

San José Could Eliminate Parking Minimums
The city of San José has the highest minimum parking requirements in the state. Now, it is weighing a proposal that would do away with them altogether and let developers decide how much parking to build.

The Limits of Citywide Upzoning
A study shows zoning reform isn't a silver bullet for the housing crisis. In some low-income and BIPOC neighborhoods, it could 'cause more harm than good.'

Can Houston Rein In Its Famous Sprawl?
The city's unabated growth has made it a bustling hub of industry and commerce, but can it sustain its unmitigated outward sprawl?

Watch: The Laws and Policies Driving Up the Cost of Housing
A Vox explainer video tackles the rising cost of housing in the United States.

Neighborhood Rezoning Proposal at Odds With Philadelphia's Comprehensive Plan
While planning departments around the country make news for removing exclusionary zoning and parking requirements, many neighborhoods still show a strong preference for parking minimums and development limits. Case in point: Germantown, Philadelphia.

To Save the Climate: Driving Habits Must Change
Even with ambitious electric Vehicle adoption, the United States must reduce vehicle miles traveled by 20 percent before the end of the decade to limit warming to 1.5°C, according to new research by the Rocky Mountain Institute.

Judge Caps Enrollment at UC Berkeley Pending Environmental Impact Report
An Alameda County judge dealt a stunning rebuke of a plan to expand the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, with housing and new space for the Goodman School of Public Policy.

Pew: More Americans Prefer Big Homes, Longer Distances to Retail and Amenities
The pandemic has resulted in an an increasing preference for sprawl among Americans, according to the findings of a recent Pew Research Center "American Trends Panel."

California Assembly Advances Statewide Upzoning Bill
California's Senate Bill 9 would allow up to four housing units on lots traditionally zoned for single-family homes, paving the way for more 'gentle density.'

Longtime Champion of Tax Breaks for Luxury Housing Changes its Tune in Atlanta
A recent scandal and leadership changes have produced an almost unprecedented decision by the Development Authority of Fulton County.

One Million Square Feet of Transit Oriented Joint Development Advances in Northern Virginia
Fairfax County and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority have reached an agreement with a team of developers to add one million square feet of mixed-use development near a station on the Orange Line.

Carbon-Offset Forests Are Burning Up in Wildfires
Wildfires are consuming forests designated for carbon storage to fight climate change, highlighting the fragility of these carbon offset schemes.

Returning to a Wilder World
The pandemic induced an accidental 'rewilding' in many places as animals took over cities and streets devoid of humans. As we emerge from our isolation, can we co-exist peacefully?

A New Approach to Wildfire Resilience: Property Buy Backs, Fire Resistant Parks
The city of Paradise is employing a natural hazard mitigation strategy long practiced in flood zones. The idea could be expanded in other places where wildland meets human development.

How to End the Commute Nightmare
The pandemic let many people experience a commute-free lifestyle, but can we reduce rush-hour traffic as we make our return to physical workplaces?

What Are Master Planned Communities?
Now frequently associated with retirees and sprawling developments in the U.S. Sun Belt, master planned communities, also known as new towns or planned communities, were invented as an escape from the haphazard growth of urban areas in the mid-20th century.

California Judge Renders Gig Worker Law Unenforceable
A judge ruled against California's Proposition 22, which let ride-hailing and delivery businesses classify workers as independent contractors and discouraged unionization efforts.

Battle Over San Francisco's Pedestrianized 'Great Highway'
Although the project has been hugely successful with local residents, the mayor and some county supervisors wanted to revert the road to vehicle use.

St. Paul Does Away With Minimum Parking Requirements
The city is one of the first in the nation to completely eliminate parking mandates citywide.
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