Zoning Reform
Cities Need More Family-Oriented Housing
For many young families, it’s simply impossible to find affordable housing in cities, leading them to the suburbs not by choice, but by necessity.
Gainesville Reverses Zoning Reforms, Reinstates Single-Family Zoning
The Florida city will be the first in the country to rescing zoning changes that would have created opportunities for a wider variety of housing options in residential neighborhoods.
Zoning Reforms Slow to Benefit Renters
Households seeking lower-cost rental housing units are not seeing housing supply go up as quickly as higher-income families after upzoning.
Columbus Rewriting its Zoning Code
Planners in Ohio’s capital city hope a new zoning code will help reverse some of the damage done by the city’s previous zoning codes.
St. Paul To Consider ‘Missing Middle’ Upzoning
Facing an affordability crisis, the city will weigh zoning changes that would permit duplexes and other multifamily housing types in single-family neighborhoods.
Montana Passes Sweeping Legislative Package to Rescind ‘California-Style-Zoning’
The Montana State Legislature recently approved a package of zoning reform bills modeled closely on bills approved in West Coast states, including the state of California, in recent years.
How California’s Newest Housing Laws Could Affect Housing Production
While it’s too soon to assess the full effects of recently passed legislation on housing production in the state, planners and housing advocates express cautious optimism that the new laws could help alleviate the state’s housing shortage.
‘Missing Middle Housing’ Bill Passes in Washington Senate
The legislation would permit duplexes and, in some cases, fourplexes in residential areas in most Washington towns.
Missoula Aims for Equity With Development Code Updates
The “Our Missoula Development Guide” is getting an update as the Montana deals with the contemporary pressures of population growth and gentrification.
Upzoning Modestly Increases Housing Supply and Affordability, Study Says
A new study by researchers at the Urban Institute finds new evidence that upzoning produces housing supply and reduces costs, while downzoning does the opposite.
Minneapolis Comprehensive Plan Still Searching for Zoning Alignment
The vision set forth in one of the most ambitious and groundbreaking comprehensive plans in recent memory has yet to align with the practical realities of zoning in Minneapolis.
Fort Collins Code Update Rescinded Due to ADU Opposition
It’s back to the drawing board for a development code update in Fort Collins, Colorado, after residents revolted against zoning reforms that include by-right development of accessory dwelling units.
Colorado Mountain Communities Line Up to Oppose Statewide Zoning Reforms
State preemption isn’t going over well with local government officials in the remote corners of Colorado.
Proposed Update to Boise Zoning Code Would Boost Density, Discourage Sprawl
A years-long process has culminated in a proposal that would encourage the creation of affordable housing, promote transit-oriented development, and position the city for less car-oriented growth.
Code Reforms to Ease the Housing Crisis
Ten recommendations for zoning code changes that could make housing more affordable.
11,000 Housing Units Possible with S.F. Office Conversions, Study Says
A new study by SPUR and the Urban Land Institute’s San Francisco chapter estimates a specific number of apartment units that could be built from vacant office units in the city.
Colorado Governor Wants to Preempt Local Zoning Control
Colorado could be the latest state, following Oregon and California, to legislate statewide preemption of local zoning codes to allow for more housing development.
Panel: Minneapolis Zoning Updates Should Reflect Mixed-Use Future
A discussion of post-pandemic changes in work and commuting concluded that the city’s overhaul of its zoning code should be less restrictive with land uses.
The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.
With New ADU Rules, Anchorage Leading U.S. Zoning Reform Efforts
Anchorage recently passed a package of laws that will allow accessory dwelling units in commercial and residential zones, and, in a rare move, on residential lots with existing multi-family housing.
Pagination
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
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority