Homeownership
Starter Homes Are a Non-Starter
As prices rise, especially in desirable urban markets, what used to be called "starter homes" rarely come up for sale. And when they do, they go for more than first time home-buyers can afford.
Lending Inequalities Undercut Baltimore's Potential
Baltimore's housing stock is relatively accessible compared to many other cities on the East Coast, yet deeply ingrained issues of inequality still plague the potential for homeownership to assist in the city's recovery.
Why the McMansion Isn't Really Back
Joe Cortright criticizes reports linking high median new home sizes to a renewed demand for McMansions. The market for single-family homes, he argues, locks out buyers of modest means. Only the well-off are buying.
Harvard Report: U.S. Housing Recovery Losing Momentum
The State of the Nation's Housing, a closely watched report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, was released to the public today.
The New Housing Crisis: Declining Homeownership, Increasing Rental Costs
Research from the Urban Institute identifies market and demographic trends that could mean a future housing market that will stand in stark contrast to the "subprime mania of the early 2000s."
No More Hidden Gems Thanks to Investor-Centric Real Estate
Although large investors made only 4.3 percent of single-family home purchases in 2014, they may be reducing the competitiveness of traditional buyers. With ready cash and sophisticated algorithms, investors get there first and make better bids.
More on the Cost of Anti-Growth Policies
As urban centers start making better sense for a digital economy, NIMBY policies might be worth re-examining. In addition to driving up the cost of housing, they may compound inefficiencies and slow down the economy.
Survey: Interest in Buying a Home Hits All-Time Low
Despite many signs of a housing recovery around the country, the most recent survey by Fannie Mae indicates that more Americans than ever aren't sold on the idea of owning a home.
Report: Coastal Los Angeles Will Likely Remain Unaffordable
Los Angeles home prices have long since skyrocketed above median income. A report by the Legislative Analyst's Office shows how difficult it would be to build L.A. out of its predicament.
Are Millennials Different, or Just Delaying Homeownership?
Big, diverse, and a little bit different, the Millennial generation is often cast as the solution to—or the cause of—many of America’s housing challenges.
Renters Are Not the Problem
A few weeks ago, Alan Mallach asked the question, "do urban neighborhoods need homeowners?" Tony Roshan Samara challenges his answer.
Do Urban Neighborhoods Need Homeowners?
Alan Mallach describes the decline of and need for homeownership in urban neighborhoods.
Generation X Leads the Decline of Homeownership
A snarky post written for The Atlantic identifies a forgotten culprit in the country's dropping homeownership rates: Generation X.
Multimedia Campaign Hopes Homeowners Will Put Down Roots in New Haven
New Haven recently launched a campaign called RE: New Haven in the hopes of increasing the city’s homeownership rate. Will the incentive-backed, multimedia approach work in increasing residents' stake in the community?
Building Support for Affordable Housing
A recent article on PlannersWeb acts as a kind of playbook for building public support for affordable housing projects.
The Inverse Relationship Between Homeownership and Economic Development
In the United States, homeownership has long been touted as a sign of personal success and national prosperity. But a comparison of homeownership levels to economic health across 41 countries shows an inverse correlation.
Pursuing the 'American Dream' Can Be a Real Downer
Tight housing inventories, rising prices, and conservative mortgage lenders are preventing many would-be homeowners from buying their piece of the 'American Dream'. Michelle Higgins explains why this may actually be a good thing.
The Economic Downside of Homeownership
A new study by two professors from University of Warwick in England suggests that higher homeownership levels correlate to higher unemployment, a finding contrary to long-held beliefs in the unmitigated benefits of owning a home.
The 'American Dream' Gets a Rewrite
A new survey has revealed that the housing bust has taken a toll on the fabled "American Dream," with the majority of respondents asserting that policies should be directed "to encourage rentals equally as much as home purchases."
Is There a Link Between Homeownership and Civic Participation?
It has long been assumed by politicians, and others, that homeowners are more likely to invest in contributing to the well-being of their neighborhoods than renters. A new report seems to support those assumptions.
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.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
