Housing Crisis

Protests Push O.C. to Kill Its First Real Plan to Help the Homeless
The affluent county finally authorized a concrete plan to address a housing crisis, but forceful opposition from residents put them 'back to Square One.'

Silicon Valley Isn't Really Over
Though a handful of recent articles predicted "peak Silicon Valley," new numbers show the region is still producing lots of good jobs and attracting plenty of venture capital.

Is Mass Timber the Solution to California's Housing Crisis?
One writer argues that cost, versatility and visual appeal makes this new building material exactly what the state will need if planned regulatory changes go through.

California Spends $6.5 Billion on Homeowner Subsidies, 15 Times Less on Renters
A new report from the California Housing Partnership "revealed a wide gap between state support for homeowners and renters."

In California, Policies Spur Rebuilding in the Wildland-Urban Interface
After the worst wildfire season ever, changes to local land use and state insurance rules essentially ensure that the same thing will happen again.

L.A.'s Mayor Garcetti Sides With Single-Family Housing Near Transit
Politicians are taking positions on a controversial California housing bill to densify by transit. Even after amendments were accepted on March 1 in response to concerns about displacement and demolitions, the mayor of Los Angeles remains opposed.

Bill Would Force Locals to Follow BART's Plans for Station-Adjacent Development
Another bill under consideration by the California State Legislature would take land use control away from local agencies near transit stations. In this case, the new authority would be regional.

Austin Proposes Using Blockchain Technology to Help Its Homeless
The city wants to give its 7,000 citizens without permanent homes "[u]nique digital identifiers" to help them get reliable access to services.

Amendments Proposed for California's Landmark Pro-Housing Development Legislation
Amendments are circulating for one of the most-closely watched, and passionately debated, pieces of housing legislation in the country.

The 7 Myths of Rent Control
The public perception of rent control has been dominated by apartment owner-funded studies and messaging for decades, fostering misconceptions about it's impact, according to poverty law attorney Parisa Ijadi-Maghsoodi.

Debunking the Politics of Progressive NIMBYism
An op-ed raises a damaging point to counter the California-style progressivism that opposes new housing development: "local control is actually bedrock conservatism."

A Vacant Lot in Palo Alto is Asking $5.4 Million—And Will Probably Get It
In an unsettling distillation of the broader housing market, the lot's price rose by $2.3 million in under two years.

An Artist Campaigns Against Anti-Homeless 'Hostile Design'
Bournemouth native Stuart Semple is intent on "naming and shaming the bodies who fund and install these things."
One Native American Family, Two Housing Crises
In Oakland, California and Torreon, New Mexico, Julian Brave NoiseCat reports that "[f]or Indigenous people, the crisis of the home is intergenerational."

Massachusetts Considering Statewide Zoning Reform
A statewide zoning reform bill that made it part of the way through the Massachusetts State Legislature in 2016 is back up for consideration this year.

Aggressive New 'Housing-First Policy' Proposed in California State Legislature
California State Senator Scott Wiener has established himself as one of the most ardent supporters of pro-housing policy in the state. His announcement this morning continued the theme.

Three Housing Stories to Watch in California
California's housing crunch finally became a top legislative priority in 2017. More of the same is expected in 2018.
Developers Allege Conspiracy to Thwart Waterfront Development in New Jersey
A lawsuit claims that the town of Edgewater and its most prolific developer worked together to defeat a proposal for yet another high-rise development with views of Manhattan

Vancouver's New 10-Year Housing Strategy Focuses on Rentals
Vancouver is famous for high-rises and a decidedly urban quality of life, but housing prices are still skyrocketing. A new ten-year housing strategy proposes a few drastic measures to rebalance the market's scales.

A Proposal to Plan Regionally in the Silicon Valley
Could development fights in the home of the biggest tech companies be avoided if cities just talked to each other?
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