The Washington Post Editorial Board responds to the growing wave of approved and proposed rent control measures—from Oregon and California to the campaign platform of Bernie Sanders.

"The economists are right, and the populists are wrong." That's the frank conclusion of The Washington Post Editorial Board on the subject of rent control.
"Rent-control laws can be good for some privileged beneficiaries, who are often not the people who really need help. But they are bad for many others."
The editorial uses recent laws approved by the states of California, Oregon, and a policy proposal from the presidential campaign platform of Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) as the inspiration for the opinion.
The editorial cites evidence like a March study from researchers at Stanford University that shows rent stabilization efforts in San Francisco to be ineffective. Here's how the editorial describes that evidence:
It’s true that the policy kept some residents’ rents lower. But landlords responded by converting their buildings into condos they could sell or business properties they could lease without rent-control restrictions — or by demolishing their old buildings and replacing them with new ones that did not qualify for rent stabilization. Effects such as these drove down the supply of rental housing and, therefore, drove up rents across the city — by 5.1 percent.
The key to making housing more affordable in the long run, according to the editorial, is to build more homes.
FULL STORY: The economists are right: Rent control is bad

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
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