Height Limits
Debate over proposed 800-unit tower in San Francisco reveals generational divide in the housing crisis
Residents of the Marina District are up in arms over a proposed housing development above a Safeway store.
8-story tower is San Francisco's first project approved under new upzoning rules
Some neighbors call the project out of scale for the area, which has not grown beyond two- and three-story buildings in decades.
Boston Approves 700 ft Tall Buildings Downtown
A new rezoning plan raises height limits in some areas for buildings that are mostly residential.
Boston Upzoning Proposal Moves Forward
The Boston Planning Department approved a proposal that would raise allowable building heights in downtown and streamline permitting for small businesses.
Miami Adds New TOD Incentive
Developers can apply for a land use variance for housing projects within half a mile to one mile of rail stations, but the complex process means few are likely to take advantage of the program.
Historic LA Filming Complex Could Get $1B Makeover
A revised plan for a revamped ‘Television City’ in mid-city Los Angeles was endorsed by the City Planning Commission, but faces more hurdles before full City Council approval.
It’s Unanimous: Columbus Approves Density-Friendly Zoning Changes
Columbus has approved six zoning code amendments, which include height limit increases from three stories to 16 and eliminate parking requirements for large developments in 12,300 parcels along major transportation corridors.
Video: How Tall Should Buildings Be?
Is there an ideal height — or should buildings be as tall as they need to be to fulfill housing needs?
What Is Cambridge’s Affordable Housing Overlay?
A controversial policy is helping create more affordable housing units in the Massachusetts city, but fears of overwhelming density are likely unfounded.
San Jose Affordable Housing Development Gains Approval
A proposed project is moving forward with reduced building heights and all-affordable units.
Paris Reinstates Historic Height Limits as Part of its New Bioclimatic Local Urban Plan
Paris’ reinstated height limits, lowering height limits allowed in 2010, are part of Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s recently released Bioclimatic Local Urban Plan.
Opinion: Failed Housing Bills Could Signal California-Style Housing Crisis in Texas
Legislators in a state that so often touts its policies as the opposite of California’s defeated several bills that would have made housing construction easier, leading to concerns that a constricted housing market may exacerbate the housing crisis.
Is it Time to Revise D.C.’s Height Act?
The century-old rule has shaped the District’s iconic horizontal skyline, but some Council members say it need revision in light of the region’s growing housing crisis.
Development Proposed Under Austin’s New Vertical Mixed-Use Law
A seven-story building will be exempt from local height regulations in exchange for providing affordable housing.
San Francisco Could Strike Deal on New Tower
The city is leveraging height increases and density bonuses to acquire more properties for affordable housing.
Voters Reject Miami Beach High-Rises
Developers planning to build above the city’s current height limit will have to go back to the drawing board.
New Building Heights Approved for Austin
A zoning change has increase height limits from 308 feet to 420 feet for new buildings near the city’s MLS stadium.
More Evidence Upzoning Alone Won't Boost Housing
Experts caution that to encourage significant new housing production, other zoning reforms that reduce costs and streamline permitting should accompany increased density requirements.
San Francisco's 1971 Urban Design Plan Echoes Today's Concerns
A 1971 effort to quantify the city's values and design goals reflects many of the same priorities that planners and residents face today.
Watch: The Laws and Policies Driving Up the Cost of Housing
A Vox explainer video tackles the rising cost of housing in the United States.
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
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
