Bradenton, a medium-sized city on the Gulf Coast of Florida, offers a case study in affordable housing policy.
Mark Young reports from the city of Bradenton about the efforts of Catherine Hartley, the city's director of planning and community development, to streamline the city's codes to prioritize affordable housing.
Hired in April, Hartley has spoken consistently for the need to tackle the issue of affordable housing. Next month, the city council will begin to put some of those words to action by hosting "a series of workshops to streamline codes to make [affordable housing] easier."
Hartley is also pushing for incentive programs for affordable housing developers as well as for low-income families to "purchase and renovate vacant homes within the city as part of an infill development program."
Affordable housing standards under federal and state guidelines are income-based, so Hartley would like to see the city push toward a possible home buying assistance program using existing grant programs like the community development block grant and State Housing Initiative Partnership program.
Hartley and the city of Bradenton are also looking to the model provided by their home county of Manatee, which recently "reappointed 11 members to its affordable housing advisory board," and in September, "the committee began looking at the county’s codes in the same way the city will now do."
FULL STORY: Bradenton looks to streamline affordable housing opportunities
A Proposed Legislative Solution to California's Out-Migration Epidemic
The Sacramento Bee follows-up a revealing report on lower income workers leaving California due largely to exorbitant housing costs with an editorial endorsing legislation by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco to address the source of the problem.
To Build More Housing, Cities Must Be Smarter in How They Use Land
How strategic land use policy decisions can alleviate the housing crisis and limit unsustainable sprawl.
Oregon Cities Debate Expanding Boundaries
A recent bill allows cities to apply for a one-time expansion to Oregon’s historic urban growth boundaries, which limit development at the edges of cities.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie