The City Council of Durham, North Carolina has approved changes to the city's master plan, first approved in 2005, to allow new forms of density in residential neighborhoods proximate to the city's downtown urban core.
"The City Council agreed Tuesday night to allow more, and more varied, housing in neighborhoods near downtown Durham," reports Joe Johnson.
The approved "Expanded Housing Choices" plan will affect neighborhoods within two miles of the city's downtown core, allowing duplexes, creating a new small-lot option, and aligning duplexes and attached single-family housing with detached single-family standards. The plan also "[increases] opportunities for accessory dwelling units and modify residential infill standards," reports Johnson.
Mayor Steve Schewel is quoted in the article saying the plan is designed to "incrementally increase affordable housing" in the city. In 2017, the city was struggling to deal with skyrocketing evictions as the city dealt with a post-recession surge in development investment. The city also reorganized to streamline development review in the hopes of creating more supply in the city in 2017.
Durham is expecting 160,000 additional residents by 2045.
FULL STORY: Durham votes for urban density, but will more housing change the city’s neighborhoods?
Tacoma Density Plan Moves to Phase Two
The Home in Tacoma plan would amend the city's zoning code to include more 'missing middle' housing types and encourage infill development.
Pro-Development Coalition Forms in Connecticut
DesegregateCT is a growing coalition of groups coalescing behind ideas like Missing Middle Housing and zoning reform as a means to improved housing affordability.
DC Residents Want Affordability Over ‘Character’
A poll finds that most residents want to see changes in zoning and land use laws that unlock more housing construction in the District and improve affordability.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service