Development Incentives

South Carolina

Seeking Mixed-Income Housing Developers in Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina is concerned about the lack of affordable housing in its city, potentially making it difficult for fire fighters, teachers, and more to afford to live in the community.

November 9, 2018 - WIS News

Toronto Construction

Waiving Development Fees to Spur Apartment Construction

One way to increase housing supply is to make it cheaper to building multi-family housing, like Toronto recently decided to do.

October 1, 2018 - CTV News Toronto

Land Use Regulations

Spreading the Parking Reform Love Around Downtown Houston

Two downtown-adjacent neighborhoods would no longer require parking for new developments under a proposal under consideration in the city of Houston.

September 11, 2018 - Streetsblog USA

Forest Park Southeast

Mapping Tax Abatements to Mitigate Controversy

St. Louis politicians are embroiled in controversy over the city's use of tax abatements, which come at the expense of funding for the city's school district. A map is seen as part of the solution.

August 13, 2018 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Op-Ed: Cap Philly's 10-Year-Tax Abatement

Qualifying developments are eligible for a ten-year tax abatement in Philadelphia. These op-ed authors say the abatement doesn't work as anything other than a government payout.

July 27, 2018 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Houston, Construction

Houston Requires Community Benefits for Development Subsidies

Houston joins cities like Philadelphia, Detroit, and Minneapolis in demanding a greater return on public dollars.

June 8, 2018 - Next City

Michigan to Provide $618 Million in Tax Incentives to Four Dan Gilbert Projects

Dan Gilbert is investing over $2 billion in four projects in downtown Detroit. The state is matching that ambition with $618 million of its own.

May 23, 2018 - Detroit Free Press

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Portland Makes ADU Incentives Permanent

Development fees can add some $15,000 to the cost of building a home in Portland. Residents adding an accessory dwelling unit to their property won't need to worry about those expenses, as long as they don't use the limit for short-term rentals.

May 9, 2018 - Portland Tribune

Portland

Property Tax Exemption for Affordable Units Under Consideration in Portland

The proposed property tax exemption in Portland would be from the "carrot" school of affordable housing incentives.

March 15, 2018 - The Oregonian

Prospect Hill Park, Waltham, MA

Massachusetts Governor Sets a Housing Development Agenda

The state of Massachusetts has set a goal to add 135,000 new housing units over the next eight years. To achieve that goal, the state will provide incentives for cities that streamline development approval.

December 11, 2017 - The Boston Globe

South L.A. Housing Project First to Use New 'Transit Oriented Community' Incentives

The city's new guidelines incentivize the development of affordable housing near transit.

October 17, 2017 - Urbanize LA

Market Street, Center City

Council Proposes Plan for Transit-Oriented Development in Philadelphia

Philadelphia City Council seeks ways to spur development without creating new traffic issues.

March 1, 2017 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Gateway Arch

St. Louis Debating and Reforming its Development Incentives

The city of St. Louis is in the midst of an intense political debate—with mayoral consequences—on the subject of development incentives, which critics say just help the rich get richer.

February 13, 2017 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Camden

How *Not* To Do Economic Development

It's clear that New Jersey’s economic development planners didn't spend much time thinking about opportunity costs when they approved $1.1 billion in tax incentives under the Grow NJ program.

October 28, 2016 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Akron

Akron Considering the End of Parking Minimums as a Downtown Development Incentive

The Akron City Council will this week decide on legislation that could at it to the roster of cities that have reformed parking requirements.

October 24, 2016 - Akron Beacon Journal

Construction crane in foreground, Denver skyline in background

Denver to Offer New Transit Oriented Height Bonuses for Affordable Housing

The city of Denver is going all in for incentive zoning to ensure affordable housing is included among new developments in the neighborhood around the new 38th and Blake transit station.

September 23, 2016 - The Denver Post

Produce Aisle

An Argument Against Government Incentives for Grocery Stores

Food desert-busting is one of the cross-over opportunities between planning and public health, but it's unclear how effective bringing healthy foods to underserved neighborhoods has been.

July 25, 2016 - The Dallas Morning News

New York City Greenwich

Fallout Over Expired Tax Abatement Program Grows in New York City

When the state allowed the 421-a tax abatement program to expire in January, the city of New York lost a key tool for development in the city. Now scuttled developments are blaming their demise on the lack of 421-a.

July 21, 2016 - DNAInfo

Disneyland Hotel

Disneyland Wants a $200 Million Tax Break for a New Hotel

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait says there is no legitimate reason to give Disney the tax break.

June 26, 2016 - Voice of Orange County

Op-Ed Details Sordid Anchorage Development Deal

Local officials accused of being "gullible" as they mull a proposed development deal that would redevelop an iconic downtown theater and knock down a derelict hotel in Midtown Anchorage, Alaska.

January 29, 2016 - Anchorage Dispatch News

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.

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

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