The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The mayor wants to examine the true benefits and impacts of a state law meant to boost affordable housing production that allows developers to exempt their projects from property taxes.

February 10 - Houston Chronicle

Air pollutants in housing units that received electric stoves as part of a pilot program dropped sharply, signaling that switching to electric appliances has public health benefits as well as environmental ones.

February 10 - Next City

In the worst version of the autonomous future, San Francisco firefighters have to fight off a self-driving car that crashed into their equipment during a fire, prompting calls for stricter regulations.

February 9 - San Francisco Chronicle

A court ruling that calls for environmental impact reviews to account for adjacent developments could significantly affect how government agencies and developers approach projects.

February 9 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Restaurant owners say the new regulations proposed by the city for installing and maintaining outdoor dining areas would put them out of reach for many businesses.

February 9 - Los Angeles Times

The guide provides a framework for assessing and improving equity in housing policy.

February 9 - American Planning Association

A new ordinance would use automated enforcement to ticket drivers who block bike lanes, but some bike advocates say the city is avoiding the harder work of improving its bike infrastructure.

February 9 - Block Club Chicago

The city has issued a request for proposals to support projects converting downtown office buildings to affordable housing.

February 9 - Smart Cities Dive

A proposal from Gov. DeSantis would require Hillsborough County to return revenue collected from the tax to residents who paid it and bar the county from using any remaining funds on transit projects.

February 9 - Tampa Bay Times

The court ruled against landlords challenging the city’s rent stabilization laws as unconstitutional. The landlords plan to take their case to the Supreme Court.

February 9 - Bloomberg Law

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.

February 8 - The Urbanist

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.

February 8 - KALW

Two new transit extensions promise several new routes for South Bay residents to access the Los Angeles region’s transit system.

February 8 - The Source

Critics of a proposal to limit property value increases to reduce homeowners’ property tax burden say the measure would destabilize the housing market and cause cities to raise other taxes to compensate.

February 8 - Houston Chronicle

Some legislators see a law that provides a zoning exemption to affordable housing builders as a necessary way to alleviate the housing crisis, while others worry about the impact of fast-tracked development on land zoned for conservation.

February 8 - Honolulu Civil Beat

A new study assesses which cities have the broadest access to walkable neighborhoods.

February 8 - Streetsblog USA

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.’

February 8 - USA Today

An unprecedented federal grant program, announced earlier this month, will support continuum of care for the unhoused in unsheltered and rural settings.

February 8 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Despite the popularity of Ballard Avenue’s outdoor dining pergolas, some district board members argue the patios don’t match the district’s historic character.

February 7 - The Urbanist

First proposed in 2015, the Broadway-Manchester redesign would add bike infrastructure, pedestrian improvements, trees, and other amenities.

February 7 - Urbanize LA