Affordable Housing
A Modest Proposal for Improving Federal Housing Aid
Although the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher is one of the federal government's most effective housing programs, its administration by local public housing agencies limit its ability to de-concentrate poverty. A new report proposes a solution.
Why Affordable Housing is an Environmental Issue
Improving our cities and suburbs is just as important to environmental sustainability as regulating pollution or conserving undeveloped land, argues Kaid Benfield.
Innovative Solutions for Preserving Affordable Rental Housing
As of 2010, the U.S. had a shortfall of 5.1 million housing units affordable to low-income renters. As the demand for such housing increases, preserving affordable units that exist is a much more cost effective solution than constructing new ones.
Co-Ops Provide a Path to Preserve Affordable Housing
Unlike in New York, housing cooperatives are a rare find in DC. Tucked into neighborhoods like Logan Circle and Columbia Heights, they are "relatively unknown". But they provide a "great source of stable, affordable housing," writes Elizabeth Falcon.
The Corner Store: Mark of a "Dynamic Neighbourhood"
In Vancouver, the presence of corner stores indicates diverse, dynamic, and affordable neighborhoods. But is the disappearance of such stores from neighborhoods across the city a sign that residential areas are becoming unbalanced?
Amsterdam's 'Scum Village' Gets First Residents
Amsterdam has sent its first family to go live in a ghetto on the east side of the city, now commonly known as "scum village."
Housing Lottery Attests to D.C. Area's Affordability Crisis
Applicants began lining up before dawn for a chance to land one of 122 affordable apartments being built in Arlington, VA. More than 3,600 people have applied in total, surprising the developers and pointing to the area's increasing unaffordability.
Does NYC Mayoral Front-Runner's Friendliness to Developers Betray His Message?
As New Yorkers prepare to vote in tomorrow's mayoral primaries, Democrat Bill de Blasio's "tale of two cities" critique of the Bloomberg years has resonated with voters. But when it comes to land use, do his policies promise more of the same?
How Parking Rules Raise Rents
Alan Durning details the negative effects that parking requirements have on housing affordability.
Retaining Affordable Housing Near Transit Just Got Easier
Changes to the criteria for evaluating applications for the federal New Starts program could have a significant impact on efforts to preserve and expand affordable housing in close proximity to transit.
'High-End' Berkeley Micro-Apartment Proposal Receives Chilly Reception
A five-story, 60 ft. building proposal in Berkeley, Calif. that would house 70 'high end' micro-apartments ranging from 307 to 344 sq. ft. was presented to the city's Zoning Adjustment Board, but commissioners and neighbors were not impressed.
Chicago Program a Model for Preserving Affordable Housing and Cutting Pollution
A Chicago-based community development financial institution (CDFI) and efficiency group help apartment building owners tame high utility costs, preserve affordable housing, and cut global warming emissions.
Program to Encourage Affordable Housing in NYC Only Producing Poor Results
A new report by the office of City Councilman Brad Lander finds that New York's voluntary inclusionary housing program is failing to entice developers in large numbers, producing only 2,700 permanently affordable units over the past 8 years.
CA Redevelopment Bill: Communist Land Grab or Catalyst for Affordable Housing?
Amid political demagoguery, a bill to help spur infill redevelopment and the creation of affordable housing in California, following the dismantling the state's redevelopment agencies, is advancing through the California legislature.
Do You Make Enough to Live Where You Work?
What if the people who keep a city running -- including urban planners -- can't afford to live there? An updated database highlights the gap between incomes and housing costs in hundreds of U.S. cities.
Striving for Attainable Infill Housing in Arkansas
Willow Bend is a new, nonprofit development planned for an ecologically rich, 7.6-acre infill site in the Walker Park neighborhood of Fayetteville, Arkansas. The project is envisioned as a replicable model of sustainable and attainable housing.
Obama Announces Housing Market Reforms, But for Some He Missed the Mark
In a speech yesterday, President Obama announced his long-awaited proposals for reforming America's housing and mortgage markets in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Observers criticized his mixed message on renting and homeownership.
Cottage Living Shows the Enduring Attraction of Simplicity
In a world of seemingly infinite variety and excess, simplicity engenders great affection. Hazel Borys offers this query on the subject of cottage living: How is it that less adds up to so much more?
America's Most Effective Urban Revitalization Incentives Under Threat
The low-income housing and new-markets tax credits are two of the most effective tools for stimulating affordable housing creation and the revitalization of low-income neighborhoods. Don't let them fall victim to tax reform, argues Michael Rubinger.
A New Way to Diffuse NIMBYism?
A controversial affordable housing project proposed for Somerville, Mass. diffused community opposition by coordinating with the for-profit developer of an adjacent parcel. Could the partnership provide a template for moderating NIMBYism?
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
