Land Use Regulations

Los Angeles

How Residential Architecture Got So Cookie Cutter

While it's fun to tease about the architectural shortcomings of most newly constructed urban residential buildings in the United States, the causes of its ubiquitous sameness reveals the depths of the country's housing crisis.

December 6, 2018 - Curbed

Lower 9th Ward

New Orleans Wants to Loosen Zoning Restrictions in the Lower 9th Ward

New Orleans could make it easier to build new homes on small lots in the struggling Lower 9th Ward.

December 4, 2018 - The Advocate

Suburban Seattle

Everett's New Downtown Plan

Digging into the city of Everett's recent overhaul of its zoning and development regulations in Downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.

December 3, 2018 - The Urbanist

Residential Development

Citing Lack of ADU Development, Ann Arbor to Refine its ADU Ordinance

After legalizing accessory dwelling units in 2016, the city of Ann Arbor hasn't added many accessory dwelling units. Some regulations designed to limit the number of ADUs developed have made the building type impossibly cost prohibitive.

November 13, 2018 - MLive

The Embarcadero

Corporate Cafeterias Survive Proposed Legislation to Zone Them Out of Existence

San Francisco's Planning Commission rejected a bill that would have made it illegal to open new office cafeterias, recommending that legislation be crafted to allow these eateries to be open to the public instead.

November 1, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Construction

Survey: Public Not Sold on New Supply as a Solution to the Housing Crisis

The public and the "urbanism cognoscenti" do not see eye to eye when it comes to housing policy. A new survey makes the disconnect in opinions on matters of supply, regulations, and affordable housing very clear.

October 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

California State Capital

More States Preempting Local Regulations in the Name of Housing

California gets most of the attention, but states all over the country are removing some of the vestiges of local control to help spur housing development, require affordable housing, and control the skyrocketing cost of housing.

October 18, 2018 - Pew Stateline

Missoula

New 'Design Excellence Overlay' Aims to Inspire New Development in Missoula

The city of Missoula professes a strategy of "focusing inward" when it comes to growth and development. A new 'Design Excellence Overlay' will help achieve more goals toward that strategy in the city's downtown.

October 18, 2018 - Missoula Current

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D - Massachusetts)

Breaking: Elizabeth Warren Releases Far-Reaching Housing Bill

The American Housing and Economic Mobility Act probably has no chance of passing into law, but it's still the most substantial gesture toward housing policy by a member of Congress since the subprime crisis of 2008.

September 25, 2018 - The Atlantic

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

Sprawl

Mapping 25 Years of Urban Expansion

What comparing 25 years of urban expansion on six continents reveals about the changing nature of the built environment.

August 14, 2018 - Vivid Maps

Capitol Hill

More Federal Legislation to Tackle Housing Affordability Proposed

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has introduced legislation that would tie federal funding to pro-development policies at the local level.

August 6, 2018 - The American Prospect

Twitter Headquarters

San Francisco Could Zone Out Workplace Cafeterias

Large corporations providing on-site cafeterias are considered a threat to local restaurant business.

July 31, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

Durham

Evidence of Race's Role in Land Use Decisions

Analysis of a city's zoning and land use decisions over seven decades reveals the role race plays in decision making.

July 27, 2018 - CityLab

Connecticut

3 Keys to Ending Parking Minimums

What does it take to make the bold step toward ending parking minimums in an entire city?

July 2, 2018 - Strong Towns

Home Sold Sign

Redfin CEO Laments Frustrated Homebuyers, Low Inventory

The U.S. has become a "landlord nation," says Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman. His analysis: fiercely-defended restrictive local zoning laws have cut off supply, dividing those who own from those who rent.

May 30, 2018 - GeekWire

New Orleans City Park

New Orleans Already Rethinking its Short-Term Rental Regulations

New Orleans passed short-term rental regulations into law in October 2016, and launched a permitting process launched in April 2017. By May 2018, some city councilmembers are already proposing change.

May 24, 2018 - The Times-Picayune

New York City Greenwich

Bill to Increase Multi-Family FAR Breaks Along Surprising Political Lines in New York

A state bill would allow for higher floor area ratio in New York City, designed to alleviate housing costs in the city, has gained most support from legislators representing areas outside the city.

May 19, 2018 - Crain's New York Business

Manhattan Construction

What if New York City Implemented SB 827-Style Upzoning?

SB 827 is a controversial land use regulation under consideration in California that would relax building height and density standards along transit corridors. New York has a reputation as the most transit oriented city in the country.

March 30, 2018 - RPA Lab

Sprawl

Revisiting Subdivision Regulations

For many decades now, most communities in the United States have grown as a series of subdivisions, built on a tried and true formula. It might be time to change the math.

March 9, 2018 - Strong Towns

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