Larry Kosmont shares what cities need to do to meet escalating state requirements; add housing density; fix shopping centers; replace sales tax; pay for constituent services; plan for the future; and capture value created by economic restructuring.
California cities are currently being challenged to respond creatively to "post-COVID" development trends and new state housing policies. To constructively contribute to the obvious need for a local mind-reset, VX News sat down with Larry Kosmont to afford him an opportunity to speak on what cities need to do to in order to capture value from this changing economy and how to do this to increase the housing stock and improve livability across California.
Kosmont goes into some of the clever ways cities can use existing zoning and tax measures to get additional funding and support from developers to get more housing and improve density, but also to get support for open spaces, transit infrastructure, and more. He explains how this "carrot" approach can be a win-win for cities to get more investment into projects they need done and developers can have certainty knowing the areas they are putting these projects will see continued investment by the city. One of the tools that he recommends for this process is the creation of Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs).
At the end of the interview, Kosmont takes some time to go through his thoughts on some recent California housing policy topics such as the Surplus Land Act, state intervention in the creation of more housing, and the future of local economic development. He discusses the way in which, by complicated means, the Surplus Land Act is allowing cities to go through their assets and really assess what they do and do not need. At the end of the day, he sees the best way for creating new development and helping the crisis as being through local cooperation with private developers to get housing actually completed and on the market.
You can find the full interview here.
Historic Preservation as a Tool of Exclusion
The push for historic preservation districts often amounts to exclusionary zoning that exacerbates the housing affordability crisis.
Texas Bills Aim to Tackle Housing Affordability
One proposed bill would raise the threshold for neighbor opposition to new development.
Commentary: A New ‘Grand Bargain’ for American Housing
For decades, many U,S, neighborhoods successfully resisted change at the expense of a few neighborhoods sacrificed to mass development. Is there a better way?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)