The past, present, and future of zoning in Tennessee.

Daniel T. Mollenkamp writes a detailed article on the history of zoning, the ongoing evolution of zoning practice to undo some of the discriminatory effects of exclusionary zoning, and the possibility of reform in the various cities of Tennessee.
According to Mollenkamp, Tennessee is in need of a conversation about race:
Across Tennessee, studies have revealed racial disparities in both homeownership and in the value of the homes owned by racial minorities, partly owing to the history of housing policies that intentionally favored white home-ownership over black.
For examples of recent zoning reforms designed to undo some of those effects, Mollenkamp cites the state of California, the city of Minneapolis, and the city of Charlotte:
The city of Charlotte decided to allow dense housing, such as duplexes and other multiplexes, in previously single-family zoned areas, during an overhaul of the city’s zoning earlier this year. The decision prompted questions about whether it could serve as a model for the South to grapple with historical injustices since Charlotte is more culturally similar to Tennessee than California. The city is in the process of putting the rules into practice through its Unified Development Ordinance, which is still open for public comment.
Mollenkamp also discusses the challenges of bringing of bringing zoning reform to Tennessee, including a wide gap between the state's rural areas and its urban areas (e.g., Memphis and Nashville) and the high rates of poverty in the state's cities.
The article cites Yonah Freemark, senior research associate in Metropolitan Housing and Communities at the urban Institute, as a subject matter expert, and also cites a 2021 study into the effects of Minneapolis' zoning reforms by Daniel Kuhlmann, an assistant professor in the Department of Community and Regional Planning at Iowa State University; a 2020 report into the racial disparities in the Tennessee housing market by University of Tennessee, Chattanooga researcher Darrell R. Walsh; and additional Tennessee housing market data from the National Association of Builders.
FULL STORY: Experts probe zoning rules affect on inequality, housing availability in Tennessee

Red Cities, Blue Cities, and Crime
Homicides rose across the nation in 2020 and 2021. But did they rise equally in all cities, or was the situation worse in some than in others?

The Shifting Boomer Bulge: More Bad News for America’s Housing Crisis?
In the first of a two-part series, PlaceMakers’ Ben Brown interviews housing guru Arthur C. Nelson on the sweeping demographic changes complicating the housing market.

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.

IPCC Report: The World Is Running Out of Time on Climate Change
The planet is not doing enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent report published by the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Skyline-Defining High-Rise Potentially Coming to Boise
A rendering making the rounds in Boise depicts a 40-story apartment building that would be taller than all other buildings in one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.

Buttigieg: Tesla ‘Autopilot’ Marketing ‘A Concern’
The USDOT secretary says marketing doesn’t fall under his department’s investigative authority, but expressed disapproval of language that implies autonomous operation.
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program
Cornell University
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
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.