Housing policy can ensure a sustainable economic recovery by focusing on five outcomes.

Planners looking for ways to "build back better," in the words of president-elect Joe Bide, have a suite of housing policy options to choose from.
Elizabeth Champion and Megan Gallagher present a detailed list of five policy outcomes that can contribute to economic stability and mobility in the recovery from the ravages of the pandemic.
"The current housing policy response focuses on two outcomes: supporting housing affordability and stability," according to the article. "Both have crucial implications for all the components of upward mobility but are likely to fall short of fully supporting equitable housing recovery that strengthens future resiliency." To make up for that shortcoming, Champion and Gallagher propose three additional outcomes as a goal for planners and policymakers. Here is how the article lists the five outcomes in total, with much more detail included in the source article:
- Housing affordability can promote multiple dimensions of mobility.
- Housing stability encourages civic engagement and promotes economic success, power, and belonging.
- Housing quality can have long-term effects on a household’s autonomy and economic success.
- Housing that builds wealth can offer homeowners a resource for investments in education, health, and other opportunities.
- Neighborhood context can influence upward mobility, with some “high-opportunity” neighborhoods offering more advantages.
The long-term recovery will require even more proactive work toward established outcomes, write the duo, "[acknowledging] the full influence of housing on a household’s power and autonomy and sense of being valued in their community as drivers of the household’s upward mobility."
FULL STORY: Five Housing Outcomes That Could Promote Long-Term Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.

Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.

New White House Housing Initiative Includes Zoning Reform Incentives
The Biden administration this morning released a new program of actions intended to spur housing construction around the United States.

Study: Most of Vancouver Is a ‘15-Minute City’
A large majority of Vancouver residents can access a grocery store in 15 minutes or less by bicycle or on foot.

Urban Design, Transport, and Health
The Lancet medical journal published a series of articles that explore how to evaluate and guide urban planning decisions to create healthy and sustainable cities. Live long and prosper!

Detroit Bike Share Celebrates Five Years
In its five years of operation, Detroit’s MoGo bikeshare has added electric and adaptive bikes to its fleet of more than 600 bikes.
Urban Planning Partners
Sandy City
Ada County Highway District
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 Redwood City
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.