Housing
Granny Flats Legalized Citywide in St. Paul
The Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) movement has take hold in the Twin Cities. Now ADUs are allowed all over the city of St. Paul.
The New Dream Home Includes a Granny Flat
You can pay off the mortgage, but you can never leave.
In Seattle, One-Room Units More Common Than Ever
Over ten percent of housing units in Seattle are single-room units, a new high and the result of a shift in housing costs and trends in recent years.
The Downsides of Upzoning
A new report suggests that upzoning is not the silver bullet some had hoped it would be for housing prices.
Proposed Short-Term Rental Regulations More Expansive Than Realized in D.C.
An estimated 80-90 percent of short-term rentals could be outlawed if a proposed bill passes in Washington, D.C.
Subsidy Program Aimed to Bring Homeowners Back to the Lower 9th Ward
The Lower 9th Ward has been slow to return to its pre-Katrina state. A new program by the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority changes recovery strategy in the neighborhood.
Section 8 Not Welcome
More landlords are refusing Section 8 vouchers for housing, neither willing to deal with the federal bureaucracy nor to risk missing out on the peak windfall of an expansive rental market.
After Michael: Updating Florida's Building Code to Better Weather Future Storms
Code requirements for wind resistance vary substantially across Florida, with less stringent building requirements in areas of the Panhandle hit hard by Hurricane Michael.
'Huge' Office Campus Redevelopment Near Sears Headquarters Set to Go Forward
A sizable former AT&T campus in suburban Chicago will be redeveloped into mixed-use, despite "sluggish" local leasing activity and the potential closure of Sears' nearby headquarters.
Should Planners Run for Public Office?
In an opinion piece bemoaning the passage of legislation that gives the BART board new land use planning authority, BART Director Deborah Allen argues that planners won't make good directors because they lack independence.
Foreign Firm Wants to Bring Privately Run Student Housing to Boston
The British firm Scape says it wants to spend $1 billion to build privately operated student housing in Boston. Unaffiliated with any one school, the concept is already popular in London.
Op-Ed: Seattle Merely 'Inching Forward' on ADUs
They're a good start. But compared to similar policies in cities like Portland and Vancouver, Seattle's new policies around accessory dwelling units may be lackluster.
Plans for Massive St. Paul Mixed-Income Development Revealed
Occupying a site where Ford once manufactured automobiles, the eco-friendly, mixed-income development seeks to add 3,800 units of housing over the next decade.
Transit-Oriented Development Spikes as Fort Worth Prepares for New Commuter Rail
TEXRail, a commuter rail line connecting Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to downtown Fort Worth, is scheduled to begin service in several months. With it has come a surge of investment in transit-oriented development.
Philadelphia Aims to Create or Preserve 100,000 Units of Housing
The city of Philadelphia released a document detailing its intentions around housing and related policies. The plan, which has been described as "ambitious," places a focus on equity.
To Reach Goals, L.A. Looks to New Ways to Build Homeless Housing
Los Angeles is grappling with the rising costs of building housing for homeless people. Rethinking the standard process is a way to save time and money.
Another SB 827? Ambitious California Housing Bill Isn't Quite Dead Yet
It received a lot of press, but ultimately California's Senate Bill 827 went nowhere. Now, the state senator who introduced the bill is working with advocates who opposed it on another version that just might have better chances.
Bay Area Displacement and Gentrification Trends Have Regional Consequences
Displacement in the San Francisco Bay Area has resulted in distinct mobility patterns and significant race and class inequalities.
Proposed D.C. Council Legislation Would Bar Landlords From Sharply Raising Rents
The bills seek to end landlords' ability to offer rent discounts and then calculate increases based on the original price, rather than on what a tenant was actually paying.
Bond Measure Seeks to Remedy Austin's Affordable Housing Woes
A bond referendum on the November ballot would help Austin increase its supply of affordable housing.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
