Housing

Suburban Neighborhood

'Infinite Suburbia' Upends Everything We Know About Suburbia

Joel Kotkin and Alan M. Berger discuss their new book, which analyses what the suburbs are and will become, in both the United States and around the world.

December 7, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

High Line Crowds

No, Your City Is Not Overcrowded

One common argument against new housing (especially in Manhattan) is that the city is "overcrowded."

December 6, 2017 - Michael Lewyn

Point Grey

Universities in Canada Have Been Developing Housing Near Campus for Decades

Universities in the Vancouver area and across Canada are developing housing and investing in amenities, and getting a return on investment that helps the bottom line

December 6, 2017 - University Affairs

Eichler

Third Rail of the Housing Debate: More Density in Single-Family Neighborhoods

If California is going to address its chronic housing shortage, single-family residential neighborhoods can no longer be ruled "off limits." Opposition to a small Berkeley subdivision spawned new housing legislation and fostered the YIMBY movement.

December 5, 2017 - The New York Times

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

Granny Flats for Affordable Housing in West Denver

Like many of the country's sunny and popular cities, Denver is struggling to house its people. Accessory dwelling units, otherwise known as Granny Flats, could be part of a solution to that problem.

December 2, 2017 - The Denver Post

Google Headquarters

Google's Second Headquarters and the Future of San Jose

Amazon isn't the only tech giant building a second headquarters. Google's new offices could change the way companies interact with cities for the better, if they want to.

December 2, 2017 - CityLab

Managing Airbnb: Regulatory Approaches to Short-Term Rentals

Tech ventures like Airbnb have "uberized" the lodging industry. They have also created new challenges for land use planners and government officials. This article provides a sampling of regulatory approaches to short-term rentals.

December 1, 2017 - Maine Association of Planners Front Page

Seattle

Showdown in Seattle: Should Developers Forgo Parking?

A mixed-use project in Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over parking. Activists are fighting rules that let developers omit parking in areas with a certain level of transit service.

November 30, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Prospect Hill Park, Waltham, MA

Housing Growth Stagnates in Boston Suburbs

Boston economists are sounding the alarm: while the city itself is adding plenty of housing, there's not a lot happening in the suburbs. That may adversely affect older folks who want to sell and younger people looking to buy.

November 30, 2017 - The Boston Globe

California

A Proposal to Plan Regionally in the Silicon Valley

Could development fights in the home of the biggest tech companies be avoided if cities just talked to each other?

November 30, 2017 - The Mercury News

Arlington Virginia

Arlington County Reduces Parking Requirements for Multi-Family Developments on Metro Corridors

In addition to reducing parking requirements to 0.2 to 0.6 spaces per unit for developments "approved by special exception," the board went a step further by requiring mitigations if developers provide more than 1.65 spaces per unit.

November 30, 2017 - The Washington Post

Philadelphia DNC

Philadelphia's New Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance Hangs Up in Committee

Philadelphia's controversial "Mixed-Income Housing Program" legislation has run into stiff resistance from developers and builders.

November 28, 2017 - PlanPhilly

Cleveland

Not Enough Condos to Go Around in Downtown Cleveland

What will it take for the supply of urban condos to catch up with the demand in Downtown Cleveland?

November 28, 2017 - The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Vancouver Gets 'Granny Flats' Right

Not forcing "style-matching" are among the recommendations for a good accessory dwelling unit (ADU) policy

November 26, 2017 - CityLab

Vacancies Come in All Forms, Even New Affordable Apartments in Brooklyn

A 298-unit, 18-story tower in Pacific Park Brooklyn opened its doors to new renters in various categories of affordability over five months ago. 27% remain empty in the higher income tiers, and unlike market-rate units, the asking rent won't drop.

November 26, 2017 - The New York Times

Sacramento

Bay Area Displacement Spreads to Sacramento

A new study finds evidence that the ripple effect from the San Francisco Bay Area's housing affordability crisis has reached all the way to Sacramento.

November 25, 2017 - The Mercury News

North Carolina

Durham Struggles With Evictions as Housing Market Rises

Durham, North Carolina might not be the city you expect to hear about when the conversation turns to a wave of evictions driving residents from their homes as post-Recession development remakes the market.

November 25, 2017 - WNCN

Oakland, California

A Radical Idea to Help the Homeless: Homeowners Should Open Their Doors

The mayor of Oakland is challenging homeowners to offer their extra rooms and in-law units to the homeless, with a target to create a modest 100 new permanent supportive housing units.

November 24, 2017 - East Bay Times

Seattle Mixed Use Development

Editorial: Congress Should Extend, Not End, Tax Exempt Bonds for Affordable Housing

The Seattle Times says there could be no worse time than right now to repeal tax exempt bonds that help finance affordable housing.

November 24, 2017 - The Seattle Times

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.