Zoning Reform

Neighborhood of large houses in suburban Austin, Texas.

Austin Lot Size Changes Could Make Homes More Affordable

Land acquisition makes up 15 to 20 percent of the cost of an average home in the Austin area.

August 23, 2024 - The Real Deal

Aerial view of Spokane, Washington with river in foreground.

Spokane Could Eliminate Parking Minimums Near Transit

A Washington state proposal to reduce parking minimums failed in the state legislature earlier this year.

August 18, 2024 - The Urbanist

Aerial view of suburban sprawl with large single-family homes near Dallas, Texas.

National Zoning Atlas Expands

The online tool can help city and state officials understand where zoning codes need reform and how they compare to other localities.

August 15, 2024 - Route Fifty

A new house is under construction with the walls and the roof installed but only the frames and trusses, respectively.

Feds Annouce $100 Million for Housing and Zoning Reform Programs

The program is aimed at helping local and state governments spur housing construction by reducing regulatory barriers.

August 14, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

Milwaukee, Wisconsin skyline with houses in foreground.

‘Growing MKE’ Zoning Reform Plan Would Expand Milwaukee Housing Options

Proponents of the plan say the changes would help reverse decades of discriminatory housing policies.

July 30, 2024 - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Neon signs on nightlife strip in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nashville Zoning Reform Opens Commercial, Retail Zones to Housing

An ordinance expanding ‘adaptive residential development’ could lead to thousands of new housing units.

July 29, 2024 - WKRN

Wyoming state capitol building in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Wyoming Task Force Considers Statewide Zoning Reform

The state task force will examine six bills aimed at limiting local opposition to new housing development.

July 18, 2024 - WyoFile

View of Auckland, New Zealand with construction cranes.

New Zealand Zoning Reform Targets Housing Production

New national rules will prevent local councils from limiting development in an effort to ease the nation’s housing crisis.

July 12, 2024 - Associated Press

Vacant retail storefront with multiple glass doors lined with brown paper and a removed neon sign.

How to Repurpose Vacant Storefronts

Loosening restrictions on clean light manufacturing can revive dormant storefronts and revitalize communities.

July 10, 2024 - Governing

Boston city skyline

Boston’s Fair Housing Policy Shows Promise

The city was the first to tie fair housing requirements to zoning reform.

July 9, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Small New York City street with brownstone homes and cars parked on one side.

NYC ‘City of Yes’ Seeks to Scale Back Parking Requirements

A rise in permit applications after recent changes to parking requirements shows how parking mandates stifle new residential development and raise the cost of housing.

July 5, 2024 - StreetsBlog NYC

Faded image of vacant storefront in rural area with American flag stars painteind on windows.

COVID Isn’t to Blame for the Retail Vacancy Crisis

A drop in demand for retail space began well before the seismic shifts of the pandemic.

June 23, 2024 - Slate

Close-up on red and white "Coming Soon" and "For Sale" signs in front of single-family homes on sunny day.

How the ‘Housing Trap’ Keeps Housing Unaffordable

The financialization of housing uncouples housing prices from local supply and demand. Fixing this requires a new approach.

May 31, 2024 - Strong Towns

Maricopa County, Arizona

Arizona Legalizes ADUs and Higher Downtown Density Statewide

Two new laws require cities to permit ‘missing middle housing’ near city centers and ADUs on all single-family lots.

May 28, 2024 - The Real Deal

Blue and red colonial-style multifamily homes in Vermont.

Vermont Issues Missing Middle Housing Toolkit

The state wants to encourage mid-density development to ease the housing crisis and provide a wider variety of housing options for residents.

May 24, 2024 - Congress For New Urbanism

Close-up of multiple hands holding up plate of street-style tacos arranged in circular shape.

Is a Taco a Sandwich? It Depends on Your City’s Zoning Laws

A land use dispute in Indiana points to broader questions about zoning and property rights.

May 23, 2024 - Forbes

A spraling subdivision of single-family detached housing in a desert setting.

A Comic Book About Housing

In ‘Build, Baby, Build,’ economist Bryan Caplan makes the case for zoning deregulation in a graphic novel format.

May 22, 2024 - Michael Lewyn

Texas Townhomes

Austin Reduces Minimum Lot Size

Smaller lot sizes for single-family homes can make construction more affordable and homeownership available to more households.

May 21, 2024 - The Texas Tribune

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis 2040 Plan Could Proceed Under New Law

A state law awaiting the governor’s signature could exempt comprehensive plans from environmental review, freeing the plan from recent lawsuits.

May 21, 2024 - Minnesota Reformer

View of street in small town of Camillus, New York on a cloudy day.

Rural New York Explores Creative Housing Solutions

Rural communities and small cities are implementing affordable housing solutions at the local level, while the state budget prioritizes urban areas.

May 21, 2024 - Mark McNulty

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.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

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.