Housing

Foreclosed and Disenfranchised?

Thousands of Americans who have lost their homes in the foreclosure crisis may find themselves ineligible to vote in November.

September 29, 2008 - The New York Times

Suburbia and Pig Farms: It Stinks

The suburbs of Tewksbury, MA, a quaint New England town, have developed uncomfortably close to one of the largest pig farms in the state.

September 26, 2008 - Boston Globe

Bringing Energy Efficiency to Section 8 Housing

Seven very low-income housing complexes in New Mexico have been renovated to be more energy efficient. The work was made possible by a nonprofit partnership that works in part to put money back in low-income residents' pockets.

September 24, 2008 - Albuquerque Journal

Suburbs The New Ground Zero For Homelessness

Homelessness is on the rise in metropolitan Vancouver, but the numbers are most significant in the suburbs.

September 24, 2008 - Langley Times

In Wake of Hurricane, New Beachfront Property Faces Seizure

An obscure law in Texas outlawing buildings on public beachfront could be invoked to seize hundreds of properties. Hurricane Ike has pushed the tide line closer to many homes, making them subject to the law even if they weren't damaged.

September 24, 2008 - Los Angeles Times

HUD Says 'Too Many Houses on the Market'

HUD Secretary Steven Preston said this week that the U.S. is facing a 'fundamental oversupply' of houses, which will continue to weigh down the economy.

September 21, 2008 - Pittsburg Post-Gazette

Tent Cities Sprouting Up All Over U.S.

Foreclosures and economic hardships have caused a proliferation of tent cities across the U.S.

September 21, 2008 - Associated Press

Foreclosure Crisis Spawning Tent Cities

Across the country the growing ranks of people made homeless in the foreclosure crisis are generating tent cities.

September 20, 2008 - CNN

Seattle's Housing Can't Handle Projected Growth

Seattle is growing, and it's going to have to start thinking about augmenting its single-family neighborhoods with more multi-unit housing if it wants to keep up with the pace of growth.

September 19, 2008 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Baghdad's Troubling Real Estate Resurgence

Property values are up in Iraq's capital, but realtors there point out that sectarian divisions are the main reason why certain areas have become desirable.

September 18, 2008 - Globe and Mail

Disabled Protesters Take On HUD

About 500 disabled Americans have erected a tent city just outside of HUD's Washington, DC office. The group has staged the sit-in to protest housing costs that cannot be met with the incomes of many disabled citizens.

September 17, 2008 - Desert News

Location Efficiency and the Metric of Affordability

On this episode of Smart City, Scott Bernstein of the Center for Neighborhood Technology discusses the Housing and Transportation Affordability Index.

September 17, 2008 - Smart City

Expanding HUD's Definition of Homelessness

Congress is in the midst of discussing whether or not more people ought to be eligible for homeless services. But without any additional funding to go with it, some argue that a broadened definition of homelessness may be unrealistic.

September 17, 2008 - The New York Times

Housing Project May Close- Residents Dismayed

The Chicago Housing Authority is considering tearing down a 300-unit public housing project, with a vote expected Tuesday. Residents are understandably unhappy, and advocates say the demand for affordable housing is already greater than supply.

September 14, 2008 - Chicago Tribune

Fannie Mae Nationalized...Again

Most of the news coverage concerning the takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has failed to note the history: Until 1968, FNMA had always been nationalized.

September 11, 2008 - AlterNet

The Seasonal Surge in House Prices, Explained

New research can serve to explain why it is more expensive to purchase a house in the summer--and why it might be worth it.

September 10, 2008 - Slate

Fannie and Freddie Go Federal

The government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will likely bring lower interest rates, but tighter eligibility requirements and stricter monitoring of underwriting.

September 8, 2008 - CNN

Katrina's Homeless Still Searching for Housing

Housing -- or the lack of it -- remains a major issue in post-Katrina New Orleans.

September 8, 2008 - Mother Jones

Housing Bust Merciless to Merced

Merced California typefies the housing bust: speculation, foreclosures, and the construction of houses nobody can afford to buy.

September 8, 2008 - The New York Times

Vancouver to House Homeless For Olympics Preparation

In an effort to clean up the poverty ridden area set to host the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, officials have announced plans to place homeless people into housing next summer.

September 7, 2008 - The Globe and Mail

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.