Housing Crisis

How American Homeownership Fosters Inequality
Matthew Desmond, author of "Evicted," looks at the lives of Americans across the economic spectrum to gain insight into how homeownership, mainly through the mortgage tax deduction, keeps the U.S. unequal.
How to Improve an Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance
Pasadena is revising its zoning regulations to accommodate more accessory dwelling units. This open letter to the city's Planning Commission includes sound suggestions, applicable everywhere.

NYC's Rental Market Returns to the Single Room Occupancy Model of a Century Ago
A New York Times feature details the re-emergence of the single room occupancy (SRO) unit in the New York rental market. Despite a stigma and an old-fashioned quality, the SRO is becoming a badly needed housing solution.

Affordable Housing Lacking in Every State
A recent report from the Urban Institute warns of potentially expanding catastrophe for affordable housing around the country.

Op-Ed: The Shortcomings of Matthew Desmond's 'Evicted'
Matthew Desmond's ethnographic study has received critical praise. But David Adler asks whether the book's approach tacitly lets affluent non-landlords off the hook.

A Call for Prevailing Wages as a Housing Solution
An op-ed written by city officials from two South Bay Area cities argues that reform of land use regulations won't be enough to solve California's housing crisis.

Op-Ed: Sacramento Drags Feet on Housing
Dan Walters has some harsh words for California state leaders. He says their approach to the housing shortage has been "tepid" and "lackadaisical."

After Measure S: Los Angeles Leaders Ponder Growth and Equity
The controversy over the recent ballot initiative known as Measure S has Los Angeles thinking: How can the city accommodate new housing supply without disenfranchising communities?

Op-Ed: Affordability Depends on Market-Rate Housing
California State Senator Scott Wiener argues that advocating for subsidized affordable housing isn't enough. Anyone concerned with ending the state's housing crisis needs to get behind market-rate development.

Ontario 'Fair Housing Plan' Proposed to Curb Skyrocketing Housing Costs
Housing prices have increased 33 percent compared to the previous year in Toronto, and now the provincial government is snapping into action.

Young People Trend YIMBY, Older People NIMBY, in the San Francisco Bay Area
A recent survey found young people are more likely to support development in their neighborhood than their older counterparts in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area region.

Nebraska Lawmakers Hoping to Solve the State's Rural Housing Shortage
Communities across Nebraska report plenty of jobs to go around, but not enough housing for the workers to fulfill the demand.

San Francisco Can't Agree on Affordable Housing Formula
Mayor Ed Lee comes out against the city controller's proposed percentages for affordable housing, saying the numbers, "…have no relevance to what we economically can accomplish"

Zoning: A Public Service Announcement
A public service announcement on behalf of renters priced out of the housing market: "Talk to your friends about zoning."

How Will Pricey Cities House Their Artists?
With rents on the rise even in "inexpensive" cities like New Orleans, artists and musicians are getting priced out. Affordable housing designated for artists is one way to help them stay.
Study: Evictions Worse Than Feared in Philadelphia
A new study of evictions in the city of Philadelphia reveals a problem that is more widespread than expected, while also affecting certain neighborhoods and racial groups more than others.

Bill Would End Tax Breaks for Second Homes in California
AB 71, originating from the California Assembly, would raise funding for low-income housing construction by ending an existing tax break for second homes.

New Pittsburgh Tenants Union: 'A Long Time Coming'
A new citywide tenants union, designed to provide an umbrella for smaller organizations and new levels of education and access to renters, is taking shape in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Salida, Colorado: National Leader in the Development of Tiny Homes
Allowing the development of a planned community of 200 rental units, ranging from 200 to 800 square feet, will earn a position among the nation's most progressive land use policies.

Debunking Seattle's 'Housing Shortage'
A post examining common responses to the question of why the cost of housing continues to rise requires a frank discussion about the nature of Seattle's "housing shortage."
Pagination
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