Housing Incentives

Apartment buildings under construction with crane.

A Menu of Proposed Housing Policy Reforms

The Mercatus Center published a list of 16 policy recommendations designed to help states clear local obstacles for housing construction.

September 7, 2022 - Mercatus Center

Southern California

Courts May Fine Cities That Fail to Build Housing in California

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed his first budget, the state's largest ever at $215 billion. Housing activists will be pleased to learn that it has, to use Newsom's terms, both "carrots and sticks" to compel cities to produce more housing.

July 1, 2019 - The Sacramento Bee

Cleveland Heights

Tax Abatements for Residential Projects Under the Microscope

The Cleveland City Council is considering legislation that would launch a process of re-examining the city's tax abatement program.

April 22, 2019 - ideastream

Transit Oriented Development

Two Transit Agencies Using Their Clout to Spur Affordable Housing

More transit agencies are recognizing that it's not enough to build transit infrastructure if the people who really need it don't live close enough to use it.

February 20, 2018 - TransitCenter

British Columbia

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.

December 2, 2017 - Vancouver Sun

Seattle skyline

Seattle Getting Shortchanged by Incentive Zoning Program

An audit has found discrepancies in the amount of funds collected as part of Seattle's Incentive Zoning program due to weaknesses in enforcement and accounting practices.

April 30, 2017 - The Urbanist

Affordable Housing Overhaul Proposed Amid Jersey City Building Boom

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop is pushing for an ambitious program to overhaul the city's development subsidies, even as building permits are flying off the shelves.

September 9, 2015 - Politico New Jersey

Multimedia Campaign Hopes Homeowners Will Put Down Roots in New Haven

New Haven recently launched a campaign called RE: New Haven in the hopes of increasing the city’s homeownership rate. Will the incentive-backed, multimedia approach work in increasing residents' stake in the community?

May 14, 2014 - Next City

Washington, Stop Promoting Homeownership

Steven Malanga looks back at a century of efforts by Washington to promote homeownership, which he says 'has produced one calamity after another.'

May 8, 2009 - City Journal

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.