Affordable Housing
Boston is hard to build housing in: its chief of planning wants to keep it that way
Chief of Planning Kairos Shen said she would not make changes to Boston’s affordability requirements for new housing, which critics say have slowed down development.
Will sprawl save California?
California residents will vote on Proposition 45 in November, which would make it easier to build large housing developments on the outskirts of the state’s cities.
California voters weigh $11.25 billion housing bond
Prop. 1, combined with other funding, would support over 40,000 new rental units in California.
Small single-family homes are illegal in most of MA. Voters can change that
Most land zoned for single-family housing in Massachusetts requires at least 40,000 square feet of land per house.
See the 12 communities on New York City’s affordable housing naughty list
The Upper East and West Sides, Elmhurst, and Bayside are among the communities that have built little affordable housing over the past five years, and now will see certain projects fast-tracked under new city rules.
Maryland local governments examine if they should have more power to raise property taxes
Maryland’s housing market is out of reach for the majority of moderate-income residents.
A third of Texas cities must update their zoning codes to comply with new housing law
Texas municipalities are now required to allow manufactured housing in at least one residential zoning district.
Large projects near Austin's light rail must include affordable housing
Elsewhere in the city, developers can pay into a city bank account for affordable housing rather than providing the required affordable units within their projects.
91% of Utah renters can’t enter the homebuying market
Homeownership in Utah has dropped to historic lows, despite improvements in the number of affordable rentals on the market.
As prices skyrocket, San Francisco Mayor declares rent emergency
Landlords in San Francisco have initiated over 2,400 evictions since January, putting the city on track to see more evictions this year than during any year in the past decade.
Only 20% of Hawaii households earn enough for a median-priced single-family home
56.7% of renter households in Hawaii are rent-burdened and nearly 29% are severely rent-burdened.
55% of Houston renters are cost-burdened, analysis shows
Of America’s 10 largest cities, Houston had the second-most renters spending more than 30% of their income on housing in 2024.
Long Island public housing applicants face longest wait times in America
Applicants to large, medium and small housing authorities in Long Beach all face exceptionally long waiting periods.
Cape Cod court to decide whether off-site homeless shelter qualifies as ‘religious use’
Faith-based communities across America are increasingly using their land to build affordable and supportive housing.
Pensacola to build first ever permanent affordable housing
The Community Land Trust development will use a shared equity model to keep homes affordable for the next 99 years.
Portland unveils Maine’s first affordable housing complex for LGBTQ+ seniors
The building earmarks 11 units for people with disabilities or living with HIV/AIDS.
Less than 6% of California cities are building enough housing for very low-income households
Only five jurisdictions are on track to meet their housing goals for all income brackets.
Analysis: ROAD to Housing Act could take years to implement
HUD is tasked with implementing nine new rules as part of the ROAD to Housing Act — while operating with a significantly reduced staff.
80-unit affordable building is the first to open under LA's fast-track development program
The project was fast-tracked under an executive order issued by Mayor Karen Bass in late 2022.
Berkeley promised to build supportive housing in People's Park. Where is it?
More than two years after People's Park was cordoned off, there is no word on a timeline for a promised affordable housing project.
Pagination
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority