A 1970s program let Baltimore residents purchase city-owned homes for $1. Now, the city council president wants to bring it back.

As reported in an article by Margaret Chadbourn, Baltimore's City Council president wants to revive a decades-old plan to lease city-owned homes to low-income families for $1.
If approved, the program would make thousands of vacant homes available to qualifying residents. Stipulations include a 15-year residency in the city, or five years of working as a city employee. Council President Mosby "is calling on the mayor to use about $200 million dollars from the pandemic relief bill enacted by Congress earlier this year to fund the program," writes Chadbourn.
The proposal mirrors a 1970s program that helped revitalize Baltimore neighborhoods through dollar home sales, government loans, and investment in local infrastructure. The success of the Dollar Homes program led to even further investment and redevelopment as more buyers sought low-cost houses to rehabilitate in formerly blighted areas.
FULL STORY: Baltimore City Council president brings back idea of "$1 house" program

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.

Tacoma Developing New Housing Policy
The city’s Home in Tacoma plan is designed to address the region’s growth and rising housing prices, but faces local backlash over density and affordability concerns.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.

Orange County Project Could Go Forward Under ‘Builder’s Remedy’
The nation’s largest home builder could receive approval for a 530-unit development under an obscure state law as the city of La Habra’s zoning laws hang in limbo after the state rejected its proposed housing plan.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
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.