Edward L. Glaeser says that historic preservation is preserving countless undeserving structures in New York, which is keeping new buildings and affordable housing from getting built.
Glaeser tracks the history of historic preservation in Manhattan, and concludes that while it is wise to protect a city's history but extensive preservation keeps housing expensive.
Glaeser: "Not counting parks, southern Manhattan contains about 7,700 acres of potentially buildable area. Today, nearly 16 percent of that land is in historic districts and therefore subject to the commission's authority. This preservation is freezing large tracts of land, rendering them unable to accommodate the thousands of people who would like to live in Manhattan but can't afford to."
FULL STORY: Preservation Follies
Report Reveals Proposed NYC Congestion Pricing Details
The draft proposal indicates most drivers would pay $15 to enter the Central Business District.
Zero New Housing Permits Issued in Manhattan Last Month
July was a dead month when it comes to approving new housing units.
Staten Island Sues Over Congestion Pricing, Too
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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
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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.
Trump Approves Futuristic Automated Texas-Mexico Cargo Corridor
The project could remove tens of thousands of commercial trucks from roadways.
Austin's First Single Stair Apartment Building is Officially Underway
Eliminating the requirement for two staircases in multi-story residential buildings lets developers use smaller lots and more flexible designs to create denser housing.
Atlanta Bus System Redesign Will Nearly Triple Access
MARTA's Next Gen Bus Network will retool over 100 bus routes, expand frequent service.
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.
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Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
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