Housing

Clearing the Way for Mixed-Use, But Economy Puts Projects On Hold

The people of Salt Lake City have gotten behind the switch to mixed-use, and developers have been clearing away old sprawl. But the flailing economy has put projects on hold, leaving the city with a landscape full of holes.

December 3, 2008 - Utah Stories

Co-Housing Grows in Brooklyn

A group of Brooklyn residents has taken over an unfinished 40-unit development site and plans to create a co-housing community with a courtyard and 6,000 sq ft of common space for meals, work and play.

December 2, 2008 - The New York Times

Inland Empire Prepares for 350,000 Foreclosures

Local and regional governments in Riverside County, California, have assembled a "Red Team" task force to mitigate the impacts of the foreclosure crisis in the fastest growing region in the state.

November 30, 2008 - The Planning Report

Worse Times Ahead for Housing

Latest figures are indicating that as many as 4 in 10 mortgage holders in America could soon be "underwater," with the potential for millions to simply walk away.

November 25, 2008 - McClatchey Newspapers

Senior Housing Options Decline Amidst Housing & Financial Crises

Unable to sell their homes, thousands of aging seniors throughout the U.S. who would have moved to assisted or independent living or retirement communities are staying put - in homes they would love to leave but are financially tied to.

November 25, 2008 - The New York Times

Tolling Roads Could Bring Down Housing Prices

Comprehensive road pricing through tolls and congestion charges could play a major role in reducing housing prices and sprawl, according to a new study.

November 23, 2008 - Toll Roads News

'Right to Rent' as Way out of Foreclosure Crisis

The way out of the foreclosure crisis may not be as difficult or as complex as it has been made out to be, argues Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

November 20, 2008 - AlterNet

Master-Planned Mixed-Use in Central Ohio

While the goal of these walkable communities is to attract young urban professionals, the benefits, of course, extend beyond that.

November 19, 2008 - The Columbus Dispatch

NYCHA Development Offers Benefits, Raises Concerns

The New York City Housing Authority is using a new strategy to develop new housing by selling open space. HUD oversees how the development works, but some think it does not offer a fair opportunity for community participation.

November 19, 2008 - City Limits Weekly

The Work of Community Development

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has a plan to help the nation's hardest hit homeowners and neighborhoods. But by concentrating assistance in the most devastated areas, few places will be saved, writes Charles Buki.

November 19, 2008 - Charles Buki

Cold War Adaptive Reuse

The underground missile silos of the Cold War-era are still around, but they're not being used. Some people have moved in to reuse one in Kansas as a home.

November 16, 2008 - Studio 360

The Future Homes of Post-Crash America

Just as good economic times pushed housing sizes to mansion-like proportions, the downturn in the economy will force builders and consumers to size down and get energy efficient, according to this commentary from James S. Russell.

November 16, 2008 - Bloomberg

Big Box Retail Owners Ask For Stacked Housing

The two owners of a traditional 8-acre strip, big box retail center in San Francisco have asked for an amendment to the neighborhood plan (undergoing revision) to allow them to add housing on top of their stores, thus doubling the height limit.

November 14, 2008 - San Francisco Examiner

HUD Announces Mortgage Guidelines- But Can't Enforce Them

The Department of Housing and Urban Development says the new rules will help buyers understand broker's fees will limit fee increases, and they are currently seeking legislation to give them the power to enforce the rules.

November 13, 2008 - The Wall St. Journal

Military Town Real Estate Remains Unfazed by Housing Bust

Military towns are seeing home sales go up despite decreasing home values elsewhere across the country, thanks in part to a steady wartime economy.

November 12, 2008 - Chicago Tribune

An 'Urban-Chicken Movement' in North Carolina

North Carolina city dwellers have taken eating locally to a new level by raising their own chickens for eggs. Controversy ensues.

November 12, 2008 - Winston-Salem Journal

Estates for All

Wendell Cox looks at how single-family detached housing came to be, and why it's likely to remain a popular option for the middle class.

November 12, 2008 - New Geography

NJ Town Bristles at Affordable Housing Requirements

'It stinks,'says Mayor John Hipp of Rutherford, New Jersey, as his town struggles to fulfill its requirements for affordable housing. The planning board has reluctantly agreed to require affordable units in a previously planned redevelopment site.

November 10, 2008 - The Leader

HUD Seeks Dollar House Buyers

Desperate to sell dilapidated, foreclosed homes, as well as to lure in local governments willing to build affordable housing, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is offering those properties for just a dollar.

November 7, 2008 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

SF Affordable Housing Measure Defeated

Measure B would have allotted $30 million to lower-income residents who currently can't afford to live in San Francisco.

November 6, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

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