Colorado Public Radio investigates the housing market in Denver, noting the revival of apartment building while single family homes and even condos remain at a standstill. Demand for rentals continues to outstrip supply in other cities as well.
The CPR reporter interviews a satisfied new renter in her two-bedroom Denver apartment who was unsuccessful finding a home to buy; an apartment developer - formerly constructing ownership housing, and finance experts on the future of housing construction.
"This project was originally planned as condos. But when the housing market collapsed, David Zucker, president of Zocolo Development went back to the drawing board. Eventually, his financiers looked at all the renters entering the market, and they liked his new idea of retooling the project from 60 condos to more than 200 apartments."
"(F)inancing is available now because demand is outstripping supply, allowing landlords to charge higher rents, explained Greg Benjamin NorthMarq Capital, an investment brokerage firm.
And Denver's not the only place with that reasonable return on cost. Patrick Newport, an economist with IHS Global Insight, says builders are putting up apartments all across the country. And he thinks that this will be a lasting trend."
"We're going to see more renting, less homeownership, and the recovery that we see in the housing market is going to be one that's characterized more by more apartment construction and less by single family construction", Newport said.
Contributor's Note: Transcript and radio tape available
Read the full story: Demand For Denver Apartments Outstrips Supply
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment
The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.
California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal
Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.
Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states
Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority