The foreclosure crisis and the Great Recession have paved the way for a steady decline in homeownership. Many cities will never be the same.
Patrick Clark reports: "Fifty-two of the 100 largest U.S. cities were majority-renter in 2015, according to U.S. Census Bureau data compiled for Bloomberg by real estate brokerage Redfin."
The data show the culmination of a decade of declining homeownership rates," as the foreclosure crisis turned millions of owners into renters and tight housing markets made it hard for renters to buy homes."
According to Clark, 20 of the cities now populated by a renter majority switched from a homeowner majority since 2009.
Homeownership did pick up in the second half of 2016, according to Census data, but Clark cites a 2015 report from the Urban Institute that predicts rentership will continue to rise until 2030 [pdf].
Clark concludes the article by noting the unique challenges that will face cities with majority renter populations.
FULL STORY: Renters Now Rule Half of U.S. Cities
When Wall Street Controls the Housing Market
A debate about the effect of the increasing footprint of large, institutional investors in the housing market is further fragmenting the politics of development in the United States.
How California Plans to Slow the Corporate Takeover of the Residential Market
The state of California is trying to prevent a repeat of one of the most significant consequences of the Great Recession: large Wall Street interests buying for-sale housing in bulk for conversion to apartments.
Landlords Offering New Concessions to Renters
In the midst of a historic eviction crisis, renters with the privilege of affording rent suddenly have the leverage for concessions from landlords, like free parking and other perks .
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)