Housing
Home Prices Higher In 71 Metro Areas
Realtors' report shows double-digit increase in housing prices in 14 metro areas, despite national decrease; high values attributed to affordability, job growth.
Second Home Owners Learn To 'Think Small'
Either for temporary residence or as a second vacation home, small dwellings are becoming increasingly popular.
Can't Find Housing For Your Workers? Buy A Motel!
Motels fill a critical housing niche in Montana's booming mountain resort region known as "Big Sky" outside Yellowstone Park: they house area workers as well as guests. While the rooms are shared to reduce costs, dangerous commuting is eliminated.
A Comprehensive Affordable Housing Strategy Is More Than Just Inclusionary Zoning
Participating on Oakland’s Inclusionary Housing Blue Ribbon Commission, a home builder points to the futility of inclusionary zoning and lists effective alternatives that should be included in a comprehensive approach to building affordable housing.
Affordable Housing Vs. Disneyland
The possibility of an affordable housing development being built near the gates of Disneyland sent the park's officials to a recent Anaheim City Council Meeting. A vote expected by many to pass resulted in a tie, and the housing project faded away.
Foreclosures Hurting Denver Neighborhoods
A new report from a Denver task force on foreclosures reveals that several neighborhoods in the city are suffering from high foreclosure rates.
Are Zillow's Estimates Of Home Prices Accurate?
How accurate is the popular website that offers free estimates of home values?
New Housing Prohibited In Crowded School Areas
In Harford County, Maryland, an ordinance has been approved that would strictly limit the development of new homes in areas with overcrowded schools.
Atlanta To Demolish Nearly All Its Public Housing
As the city plans to demolish most of its public housing, the only publicly-subsidized units remaining will be offered to senior citizens. Displaced residents will be given counseling and vouchers enabling them to live anywhere in the country.
Miami's McMansion Moratorium
A measure has been passed in South Miami that places a moratorium of construction of new two-story houses -- a measure aimed at preventing development of oversized homes, or McMansions.
Booming Manhattan Pieds-À-Terre: Driving Out Middle Class And Reducing City's Vitality
Prestigious Manhattan locations are being purchased by absentee buyers for their occasional visits, with ill effects for those who want to call Manhattan their first home. New construction is often targeted for wealthy part-timers, not residents.
Tap Running Dry On Mortgage Refinancing
Higher interest rates, cooling housing markets, restrictive mortgages and more cautious banks are combining to choke off the home refinancing market. The current wave of mortgage defaults could be just the "tip of the iceberg."
Is The Housing Market Still Heading For A Bust?
Serious analysts across the political spectrum are coming to the same conclusion: the housing market is set to crash, and with it, the economy.
Habitat For Humanity Goes Multi-family
The non-profit organization famous for building single family homes for low-income families is being to develop higher-density projects in high-cost urban areas.
College Students Saving Money By Living In Substandard Housing
To help make ends meet, some students have taken to living in illegal, and often unsafe, residences.
Manhattan's West Side To See Burst Of Residential Construction
The first apartment buildings will soon begin rising on the former Hudson Yards, made possible by the rezoning of 300 acres two years ago.
High Homeowner Vacancy Rates Could Portend Continuing Housing Slump
The "often-overlooked measure" of homes for sale that are empty is the highest it's ever been. The figure could represent the influence of housing "speculators" and may signal continuing weakness in the national housing market.
Recycling Construction Waste
With debris from construction and demolition of buildings accounting for nearly one-half of all solid waste in the U.S., some entrepreneurs are looking at this landfill fodder as a viable source of reconstruction materials -- and a source of revenue.
Controversy Over Sale Of Largest Federally Subsidized Rental Project
Brooklyn's Starrett City is for sale. While most of the rents of the almost 5,900 apartments are federally subsidized, the tenants fear eventual displacement. Governor Spitzer has signaled he is willing to assist to keep the project affordable.
Seniors Face Shortage Of Subsidized Housing
A recent report has identified a severe housing shortage for senior citizens. Waiting periods for subsidized senior housing can last more than 13 months, according to the report.
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
