The Sightline Institute tackles what may be "our most acute urban public policy challenge."
Seattle's 2015 Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda caused something of a stir with its claim that exclusionary zoning is rooted in racism and classism, and no less complicit in those systems today.
Dan Bertolet, a senior researcher at the Sightline Institute, says that should have been an unremarkable statement. He offers a brief history of exclusionary zoning practices—like single-family zoning or strict height and density limits—and traces their effects on cities and communities in the United States.
Drawing on research from Harvard, the Brookings Institution, the White House, and more, the article summarizes the harm done by exclusionary zoning in eight related points. Among them:
- Tight regulations radically inflate housing costs
- Exclusionary zoning increases homelessness
- Housing restrictions make everyone poorer
The piece is part of Sightline's series Legalizing Inexpensive Housing.
FULL STORY: Exclusionary Zoning Robs Cities of Their Best Qualities
Upzoning of Seattle's Single-Family Zoning Called a 'Disappointing Half-Measure'
A critical analysis of a proposal that would incrementally increase density in parts of Seattle.
Luxury Condos, Not Luxury Single-Family Homes, Take the Blame in the Affordability Debate
An article in The Urbanist suggests the ire over new developments is misplaced.
Seattle Sets a New Standard for Residential Zoning
Seattle is the latest in a series of cities, states, and counties to alter the landscape of land use regulation by approving what the Sightline Institute describes as the "most progressive" ADU policy in the United States.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.
California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
Albuquerque Route 66 Motels Become Affordable Housing
A $4 million city fund is incentivizing developers to breathe new life into derelict midcentury motels.
DC Area County Eliminates Bus Fares
Montgomery County joins a growing trend of making transit free.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)