As one of the cities most effected by the housing crash, one would think the recovery of Phoenix's real estate market would be cause for widespread celebration. But a confluence of factors is making it hard for many to find a place to live.
“'It’s hard to find a lot of fault with the recovery in Phoenix,' said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac, a California company that tracks housing sales, reciting a list of positive indicators, like the area’s shrinking inventory of foreclosures, its healthy population growth and the steady decline in the number of homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than their property is worth."
"But those changes have brought a whole new set of challenges," reports Fernanda Santos.
"Developers, discouraged by the high price of land and a shortage of construction workers, who left for greener pastures during the crash, are reluctant to build starter homes, the type most in demand. Prospective sellers are waiting to see if surging values will keep on climbing before they list their properties. Meantime, prospective buyers, including many newcomers drawn by new jobs in the state, are having a hard time finding a place to live."
FULL STORY: Real Estate Boom in Phoenix Brings Its Own Problems

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods
A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan
A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown
Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.
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.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions