Housing

Seattle Weighs Protections for Mobile Home Parks
To protect a valuable source of affordable housing, Seattle's city council will consider creating a 'mobile home overlay district' that would preserve housing and regulate new development.

How One of Boston's Top Evictors Changed Its Ways
A major for-profit affordable housing provider hasn't evicted a single tenant since early 2020. How did the company do it, and can its method be a model for other developers?

How Affordable Housers Perpetuate Past Harms, and How They Can Do Better
Some elements of affordable housing—from the development process to the way buildings are managed—are rooted in racist assumptions that dehumanize residents. Here are some simple ways you can be a better housing provider.

Atlanta's Buckhead Plans to Secede Over Upzoning
One Atlanta neighborhood is campaigning to secede from the city as the battle over zoning reform heats up.

D.C. Passes Short-Term Rental Regulations
The District of Columbia has approved final regulations for short-term rentals like Airbnb that limit rentals to owner-operated units and cap vacation rentals at 90 days.

An 'Explosion' of Investor-Owned Homes in Minneapolis' Low-Income Neighborhoods
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis has noticed an alarming spike in investor-owned homes in Minneapolis since the Great Recession.

On Housing, Cities' Traditional Political Labels No Longer Apply
Historically liberal cities belie their supposed concern for human welfare by rejecting new development. Meanwhile, more conservative cities have seized the moment to become more progressive, innovative, and inclusive.

Prince George's County Funds Right of First Refusal Program
Prince George's County, Maryland has provided a $15 million nest egg for a program designed to maintain its existing affordable housing stock.

L.A.'s New Housing Element Calls for 456,000 New Homes
The newly updated Housing Element of the city of Los Angeles General Plan makes an ambitious commitment to housing construction—after decades of slow construction and a population out of scale with the city's housing stock.

Where Mayors Want to Spend Federal Aid
An annual survey reveals that mayors want to prioritize spending federal funding on homelessness, transportation, and social services.

Fire-Prone Communities Fight New Development
New development in small Colorado towns threatens to overwhelm fire evacuation resources, raising alarm among local residents.

The YIMBY-NIMBY Debate Gets 'Uninteresting'
Labels like "YIMBY" and "NIMBY" may be crude—but so what? One of them wants to solve America's housing crises. The other does not. Un-housed and under-housed people cannot wait for a perfect ideology to come along, writes Josh Stephens.

Opinion: Northwest Arkansas Could Be the 'Next Austin'
The home of Walmart and the University of Arkansas could be poised to see growth as cities like Austin and Boise become less affordable.

Inequality Grows in Western Zoom Towns
As demand for housing grows, small Western towns are experiencing skyrocketing housing costs and rising displacement.

Study: At Least 1,500 Unhoused Died on the Streets of L.A. During the Pandemic
New research represents the first detailed picture of death among people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.

Houston Could End Homelessness With Less Than 2,000 Housing Units
Houston's homeless response program has yielded strong results in the last few years. Just 1,900 new affordable housing units could 'effectively end' homelessness in the city.

Land Use Regulations on a Collision Course in California
The future of planning in California depends on how lawyers reconcile the Housing Accountability Act with the California Environmental Quality Act.

Upzoning Plan Faces Opposition in Prince George's County
A rezoning plan in Prince George's County, Maryland is receiving strong criticism from residents who worry redevelopment without tenant protections will lead to displacement.

Cities Finding Ways to Resist State-Mandated Upzoning
The resistance to state-mandated zoning reforms, already well underway in Oregon, is now starting to whiplash through California as well.

Austin Becoming Least Affordable City Outside California
The Texas capital, once one of the most affordable metro areas, is experiencing a housing affordability crisis as median prices soar and longtime residents face displacement.
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