Housing

Home For Sale Signs

A Key Housing Market Metric Hits Uncharted Territory

The nationwide house price-to-rent ratio has hit its highest level since 1975.

June 4, 2021 - Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Building Heights and Step-Backs

What Are Height Limits?

Height limits are a critical component of almost every zoning code in the United States.

June 3, 2021 - James Brasuell

Divine Lorraine Hotel

Opinion: Stop Treating Philly's Historic Buildings Like a Burden

Despite the historic importance of a vast majority of the city of Philadelphia's buildings, demolitions are happening at a faster rate than ever.

June 3, 2021 - Philadelphia Inquirer

HUD

Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants Announced for 5 U.S. Cities

A federal grant program designed to support holistic and socially-focused planning projects at the neighborhood level has announced the winners of its most recent round of competitive grant funding.

June 2, 2021 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Back Bay Boston

What Is Multi-Family Housing?

Often discussed in contrast with single-family zoning, multi-family housing includes buildings and complexes that house more than one household in the same property.

June 1, 2021 - Diana Ionescu

Harlem

Debt Piles Up for Low-Income Renters

As the end of federal and state eviction moratoriums looms, renters who fell behind on payments during the pandemic now face "staggering" amounts of debt.

June 1, 2021 - New York Times

Basement Apartment

Improving Racial Equity via Emergency Rental Assistance

Five ways to ensure that rental assistance reaches communities of color with high levels of need.

May 30, 2021 - Shelterforce Magazine

Tacoma Washington

Sweeping Residential Zoning Reform Advances in Tacoma

Zoning and land use changes proposed in the Home in Tacoma plan, an element of the One Tacoma Comprehensive Plan, was approved this month by the Tacoma Planning Commission.

May 28, 2021 - The Urbanist

Suburban multi-family

How Federal Incentives Can Increase Access for Section 8 Recipients

Landlords are the focus of a proposed bill that would provide extra perks for accepting Housing Choice vouchers.

May 28, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Glenwood Green Acres, Philadelphia

Housing Design That Advances Health

Applying trauma-informed principles, reducing social isolation, and encouraging active living—how housing can be designed to promote good health.

May 27, 2021 - Shelterforce Magazine

Philadelphia, Pennsyvlania

Philadelphia's Eviction Prevention Program Hailed as a National Model—But Funding's In Jeopardy

In a typical pre-pandemic year, landlords in Philadelphia filed around 20,000 evictions. Last year, landlords filed just 4,500.

May 26, 2021 - Next City

Eviction Crisis

Billions of Dollars in Rent Relief Might Arrive Too Late

The federal government has never provided so much aid to renters, but rental assistance is still failing to reach the people who need it most.

May 26, 2021 - Vox

City Hall Philadelphia

Philadelphia Accelerator Fund Will Finance Black and Brown-Led Affordable Housing

The fund seeks to level the playing field by making it easier for Black and brown developers to gain access to capital.

May 26, 2021 - WHYY

Wheelchair accessible home

Rising Home Prices Most Pronounced in Communities of Color

U.S. home values appreciated sharply during the pandemic, particularly in communities of color, where prices rose by as much as 10.3%.

May 25, 2021 - Housing Perspectives

Detached backyard cottage in Oregon

San Diego Residents Challenge the City's ADU Regulations

Residents in some of the city's single-family neighborhoods worry about the potential impacts of ADU construction on local character and parking.

May 24, 2021 - San Diego Union-Tribune

San Francisco Bay Area

A Daring 50-Year Vision for the San Francisco Bay Area

The SPUR Regional Strategy sets a new standard for planning advocacy, not only for the depth and breadth of its vision, but for its skill in execution.

May 24, 2021 - San Francisco Chronicle

Manhattan Construction

The Future of Central Business Districts

Urbanist Richard Florida assesses post-pandemic possibilities for neighborhoods that once relied on 9-to-5 workers.

May 24, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

San Francisco Parking

The Parking Disaster

Minimum parking requirements, argues Michael Manville, raise the cost of construction and eat up valuable urban real estate.

May 23, 2021 - The Atlantic

3Roots

200 New Homes; 14,000 Interested Buyers

A large new master planned development in San Diego offers another anecdote about the state of the real estate market in 2021.

May 21, 2021 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

D.C. Streetcar

D.C. Comprehensive Plan Amendments Approved

New amendments to the D.C. Comprehensive Plan set goals for new housing development and fewer cars on the road.

May 20, 2021 - Greater Greater Washington

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.