Lafayette provides a case study of the San Francisco Bay Area housing market.
"Despite last-minute protests from a group of affordable housing advocates, lawmakers have greenlighted a high-end housing development that replaces a plan for 315 moderate-income apartments proposed for a grassy hillside near Highway 24," reports Jennifer Modenessi.
The decision ends years of debate over the development proposal and provides an example of the challenging of delivering new housing supply around the Bay Area—not just in San Francisco where the housing crisis discussion usually focuses.
"The approvals allow developer The O'Brien Land Company to build 44 clustered single-family homes and a number of public amenities at the former quarry site on the city's eastern edge. The million dollar residences in the Homes at Deer Hill development replace the Terraces of Lafayette apartments, which O'Brien and landowner Anna Maria Dettmer pitched more than four years ago," adds Modenessil in describing how the project has evolved.
The article includes more details about the political debate that surrounded the decision.
FULL STORY: Lafayette OK's Deer Hill homes development
Lawsuits: Not Just for Development Opponents Anymore
Details of the "Sue the Suburbs" movement wielding a new legal tool to counteract the traditionally obstructionist methods of land use regulation in California.
San Francisco Housing Advocates: 'Sue the Suburbs'
Renters' advocates in San Francisco are building a political and fundraising base to legally challenge suburbs that aren't pulling their weight in constructing the housing to meet the demands of population growth.
Robotaxi Charging Lots Could Complicate San Francisco Housing Development
Multiple sites slated for housing development are now being turned into charging and storage lots for autonomous vehicles, making housing an unintended victim of the robotaxi revolution.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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