Rental Housing

How Austin Renters Are Resisting Displacement

Rapid development in Austin, TX has severely impacted rental housing, including mobile home parks, which are a source of low-income housing.

April 26, 2016 - The Austin Chronicle

Eviction

Oakland Approves 90-Day Moratorium on Evictions

Taking steps to prevent Oakland from becoming the next San Francisco, the East Bay city passed a 90-day moratorium on certain kinds of evictions.

April 22, 2016 - The Guardian

The Citizens Budget Commission Reports on NYC's Housing Affordability

As Mayor de Blasio pulls out all the stops to make the case for zoning proposals critical to his affordable housing plans, the Citizens Budget Commission assessed the economics of housing construction in the city.

December 19, 2015 - New York Citizens Budget Commission

Report: Most New Rental Units Affordable Only for the Wealthy

A new report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies adds to what seems, at this point, like a tsunami of bad news for rental housing affordability.

December 10, 2015 - The Washington Post

Republican debate

What Does the Upcoming Presidential Election Mean for HUD?

An op-ed explains the significance of the 2016 presidential election for the political clout of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Those supporting the agenda of HUD, according to this argument, should be wary of a Republican victory.

October 29, 2015 - Edward Poteat

Uhaul Trucks

Report Finds Historically Unaffordable Rents

A new report from Zillow shows evidence of a deepening crisis in the rental housing market.

August 15, 2015 - Bloomberg Business

Rental Construction

Sunday Funday: Game Simulates the Development Experience

Even though it's simplified, Inside the Rent provides a window into the logic of developers trying to get apartments built in New York City. The game's creators emphasize its educational value.

June 28, 2015 - Curbed NY

Los Angeles Apartments

Does $15 an Hour Mean Higher Rents?

Los Angeles will raise its minimum wage incrementally to $15 an hour by 2020. But with an inadequate supply of new housing, will this new spending power simply enable landlords to charge more? Some economists say yes.

May 28, 2015 - KPCC

San Francisco Rebooting its Airbnb Regulation Efforts

Despite approving legislation to regulate short-term rentals in October 2014, San Francisco must go back to the drawing board to find legislation that works. Stay tuned.

May 19, 2015 - The San Francisco Examiner

Checking in on New York City's Affordable Housing Efforts

First, a new report from NYU's Furman Center details the evolving characteristics of subsidized rental housing in New York City. Second, the results from Mayor Bill de Blasio's affordable housing efforts are in from his first year in office.

January 16, 2015 - NYU Furman Center

Los Angeles Residential Street

Explaining the Country's Worst Rental Market

A recent study reveals that Los Angeles is the least affordable city in the country. The incentives of homeowners all but ensure that the city will never have a mandate to increase its housing supply and restore health to the city's economy.

November 4, 2014 - Josh Stephens

Evictions Increase as Renters Struggle to Compete

Shaila Dewan details the increasing rates at which renters all over the country forced from their homes by eviction.

September 2, 2014 - New York Times

Arkansas Examined as the 'Worst Place to Rent in America'

A Vice News video feature by Spencer M Chumbley and Mark Scialla explores the impacts of what it calls "draconian eviction laws" in Arkansas.

June 30, 2014 - Vice News

Chicago Bungalows

Rent Unaffordable in 90 U.S. Cities

Several recent reports lend credence to the “rent is too damn high” narrative. But exorbitant rents aren’t just a story in New York City or San Francisco—median rent is higher than 30 percent of median income in 90 cities in the United States.

April 17, 2014 - New York Times

Building Support for Affordable Housing

A recent article on PlannersWeb acts as a kind of playbook for building public support for affordable housing projects.

April 14, 2014 - PlannersWeb

facades of victorian style residences in San Francisco

America's Apartment Shortage: 8 Million Units

The 2014 National Realtor's Survey asked consumers for preferences in housing and neighborhood types. Although preferences trended toward the suburban, the number of people who want to live in urban areas is under-supplied by multi-family housing.

April 8, 2014 - Shane Phillips

San Francisco Legalizes Rental of 'In-Law Units'

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted earlier this week to allow property owners to rent “in-law units”—a major policy departure that could add tens of thousands of rental units to the constrained San Francisco real estate market.

April 3, 2014 - SF Gate

Mapping the Rental Housing Crisis—County by County

A new map tool breaks down the availability of rental housing around the United States by county. While some markets are tighter than others, it’s impossible to find a place in the United States that has enough rental units per low-income households.

March 4, 2014 - Urban Institute: MetroTrends Blog

Charlotte’s Growth Raises Transit and Housing Questions

A pair of recent articles examine the political and financing situation around transit (e.g., streetcar and light rail) and housing (i.e., a rental development boom) in Charlotte, which has paced the nation in growth over the past decade.

February 21, 2014 - Fast Co.Exist

The gentrifying street-scape of the South Park neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, California

Downtown L.A.'s Residential Revolution

A plan to build 1,500 rental apartments where six parking lots now sit is just the latest sign of the insatiable demand for housing gripping downtown Los Angeles.

December 1, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.