The proposed legislation would open up cities like Palo Alto to higher-density housing.

Liam Dillon reports on Senate Bill 50, the big bill transit oriented development bill designed to address California's housing crisis by easing development restrictions on transit corridors all over the state. "Sen. Scott Wiener’s Senate Bill 50 aims to spur home building by requiring local governments to relax construction restrictions near mass transit, and it contains a separate provision that would force wealthy communities near employment centers to allow apartments where only single-family homes are currently permitted, regardless of whether they’re close to rail or major bus lines."
Palo Alto is one city that would see drastic changes, with construction of apartment buildings in neighborhoods where expensive single-family homes are now the norm. Local officials and residents are not welcoming the prospect, and they say the focus should be on limiting the job growth that is bringing in too many new, high-paid residents that the city cannot accommodate.
"But others believe the real issue is that Palo Alto residents want to prevent more people from living in their community," notes Dillon. Housing advocates say that Palo Alto has rejected proposed multiunit projects in the past, and the city has a long history of developing single-family neighborhoods that were only available to whites. Wiener says his bill will increase housing in communities across the state but also make up for the inequitable development of the past.
FULL STORY: California housing bill targeting wealthy cities could rezone nearly all of Palo Alto

New York Governor Advances Housing Plan Amid Stiff Suburban Opposition
Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious proposal to create more housing has once again run into a brick wall of opposition in New York’s enormous suburbs, especially on Long Island. This year, however, the wall may have some cracks.

A Serious Critique of Congestion Costs and Induced Vehicle Travel Impacts
Some highway advocates continue to claim that roadway expansions are justified to reduce traffic congestion. That's not what the research shows. It's time to stop obsessing over congestion and instead strive for efficient accessibility.

Rethinking the Role of Parking in the American City
In cities big and small, the tide is turning against sprawling parking lots, car-centric development, and minimum parking mandates.

Mapping Sidewalks for Improved Connectivity
A new tool uses aerial image recognition to map a city’s sidewalks and crosswalks. Its developers hope it will aid in creating a more comprehensive understanding of pedestrian networks and where improvements are needed.

Long Beach Residents Oppose Proposed Homeless Services Hub Near Rail Terminus
L.A. Metro’s “end-of-the-line” policy forces people experiencing homeless off transit every night at the same time and location. A proposed hub would provide services a few stops before the end of the line in Long Beach.

The Nation's Most Advanced Secessionist Movement
Legislation supporting the Greater Idaho Movement, which would annex over half of neighboring Oregon, has advanced in the Idaho legislature.
City of Greenville
City of Greenville
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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.