With rents skyrocketing and the region facing a steep housing shortage, housing advocates argue now is the time for zoning reform that encourages missing middle housing and transit-oriented development.
In an opinion piece for the Tampa Bay Times, Nathan Hagen and Elizabeth Strom call on Floridians to support policies and policymakers that promote more housing construction in the region, which has become one of the most unaffordable in the country. Even before the pandemic upended the U.S. housing market, Florida was short 300,000 housing units, and the crisis has only deepened.
There are no quick fixes to housing affordability, but one thing is certain: To address increasing costs, we need to build more housing.
According to the article, finding land for building new housing is one of the most pressing problems for South Florida developers. Yet “Today, an estimated 80% of Tampa’s residential areas are restricted to single-family housing, including neighborhoods near downtown that have good access to jobs, shops and schools. These would seem to be exactly the places where new housing should be built.”
The authors call on Florida residents to recognize the need for increased density and changes to outdated zoning codes that don’t account for current population growth. “With a March election that’s sure to shake up the City Council, we have an opportunity to find out who is really ready to do the right thing. Who is willing to fight for density in our comprehensive plan? To legalize ADUs (accessory dwelling units that are a secondary housing unit on a single-family residential lot)? To reduce parking minimums? And to fix our zoning code?”
FULL STORY: If the rent is too high, we need to build more housing
How Zoning Changes Could Boost Housing Supply in Seattle
The Puget Sound region could benefit from zoning tweaks that would encourage more transit-oriented development and ‘gentle’ density increases, new research finds.
Decatur Moves Closer to Legalizing Duplexes, ‘Missing Middle Housing’
A proposal to permit multifamily housing units in areas previously zoned for single-family homes passed its first hurdle, but requires a second vote to go into effect.
Report: Wisconsin Zoning Rules Hold Back Housing Production
Updating zoning regulations would help the state meet its housing goals and encourage the construction of a broader variety of housing types.
America’s Best New Bike Lanes
PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.
Conspiracy Theorists Discover the 15-Minute City
USA Today debunks the false claim that the United Nations’ call for enabling 15-minute cities is a coded plan to institute ‘climate change lockdowns.’
Massachusetts Zoning Reform Law Reaches First Deadline
Cities and towns had until January 31 to submit their draft plans for rezoning areas near transit stations to comply with a new state law.
Washington Could Legalize Single-Staircase Buildings
Supporters of ‘point access blocks,’ which are common in Europe and other parts of the world, say the design maximizes living space and lowers the cost of construction.
San Francisco Housing Plan Gets State Approval
The city cleared a major hurdle as its housing plan, which paves the way for 82,000 new homes by 2030, is certified by the state.
Rail Transit Plans Would Connect L.A.’s South Bay to the Regional Rail System
Two new transit extensions promise several new routes for South Bay residents to access the Los Angeles region’s transit system.
City of Grand Prairie
City of Grand Prairie
West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
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 Hercules
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
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.
