Housing

A Historic Courthouse Becomes Senior Housing
A New Orleans courthouse will now provide assisted living facilities, along with street-facing balconies and a bar.

The Ugly Truth Behind “We Buy Ugly Houses”
HomeVestors of America, the self-proclaimed “largest homebuyer in the U.S.,” trains its nearly 1,150 franchisees to zero in on homeowners’ desperation.

Richmond Banks on Private Redevelopment for Aging Public Housing Complex
The city hopes to see a mixed-use,mixed-income project replace the aging, “physically obsolete” Gilpin Court complex.

New Yorkers Need Land. NYPD is Sitting on Nearly 150 Lots.
A new map reveals how much land in New York City is being wasted by city police—often sitting vacant, rather than serving the public good.

New Federal Program To Support Services for Unhoused Residents
The ‘ALL INside’ initiative selected five cities and one state—California—for its inaugural efforts to offer assistance to homelessness services and help local agencies access federal funding and resources.

Houston Debates Shared Driveway Requirement
A proposed rule would require developers to build shared driveways for narrow lot projects.

Luxury Housing Construction and Rents on the Rise in Tampa Bay
A majority of new construction permits in the region are for high-end housing, accompanied by an increase in average rents.

Bipartisan Congressional Group Introduces Affordable Housing Bill
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are supporting a bill that would increase the number of federal affordable housing credits available and streamline the development process for affordable housing projects.

Connecticut Zoning Bills in Peril Near End of Legislative Session
Two bills that would change zoning rules to encourage more housing production and denser zoning are still in limbo as the legislature prepares to go on recess.

Austin as a Model for Parking Reform
The Texas capital’s new parking law signals a shift in thinking about the relationship between land use, transportation, and housing affordability.

Vermont Next State in Line to End Single-Family Zoning, Ease Parking Requirements
Both houses in the Vermont Legislature have approved legislation to preempt local land use regulations by rescinding single-family zoning and easing parking requirements throughout the state.

In Defense of Rent Control
Rent control policies, widely panned by economists, have been shown to slow displacement and keep housing affordable.

Arizona Zoning Reform Bills Would Protect Mobile Home Residents
Three proposed bills would increase flexibility in zoning and encourage affordable housing production, particularly near light rail.

Federal and State Dollars Could Be Used to Force Change in Exclusionary Towns
Strict zoning policies keep housing unaffordable. But there are strategies governments can implement to change exclusionary housing policies and promote the construction of more affordable housing.

When a Land Bank Starts a Land Trust
An Ohio land bank adds to its developing power through a community land trust.

More People Are Leaving Coastal Cities
Rising housing costs and the growth of more urbanized, amenity-rich small metros are driving college-educated workers away from “superstar cities.”

HUD Announces Grants for Efficiency Retrofits in Multifamily Housing
A new program will fund solar panels, heat pumps, and other measures aimed at reducing emissions, improving air quality and resident health, and reducing heating and cooling costs.

U.S. Rent Growth Slows, but Keeps Rising
The pace of rent growth is slowing, but U.S. renters still face growing housing costs in most metro areas.

Where Permissive Zoning Codes Slowed Rent Growth
Recent analysis from the Pew Research Center identifies more support for zoning reform as a tool for maintaining the affordability of rental housing in U.S. cities.

Toronto Approves Multiplex Housing Citywide
The city hopes streamlining the construction of multifamily housing will slow the growth of housing costs and prevent the displacement of residents as the city grows.
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