Vancouver, British Columbia's Heritage Action Plan went into effect in January of this year. According to an article in the Vancouver Courier, the policy has failed to achieve its intended goals.
Allen Garr reports on the results from the first few months of Vancouver, British Columbia's "character home" policy (also known by its official title: the Heritage Action Plan), which is intended as a preservation measure for historic homes around the city. Garr explains the policy before revealing its initial results:
"There was a demolition moratorium in one section of Shaughnessy. But for the rest of Vancouver, the city offered density bonuses for owners who chose to renovate rather than remove pre-1940 character homes. Builders were also offered a break if they chose to 'deconstruct' those houses and recycle the building materials rather than shredding them."
Unfortunately for the goals of the policy, Garr reports that demolitions have only increased: "In the first four months of this year the city issued 342 demolition permits. That is an increase of 20 per cent over 2014." The remainder of the article offers local preservationists the chance to describe the current wave of demolitions and the implications for current development practices on residential neighborhoods in Vancouver.
Kerry Gold also covered the Heritage Action Plan earlier this year, providing more insight on the intended outcomes of the policy. For the record, Elizabeth Murphy warned of the potential for the Heritage Action Plan to fail its expectations at the time of the policy's adoption in June of 2014.
FULL STORY: City of Vancouver's anti-demolition policy is a failure

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

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

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access
A proposed bill would legalize transit-oriented development statewide.

Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills
Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.

Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units
Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service