Housing

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

Seattle Legalizes Co-Living

A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.

December 1, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

'Vertical canyon' on glass-clad residential high-rise in Denver, CO.

Denver's New High-Rise Integrates Vertical Canyon in Architectural Design

Unlike other new builds in Denver, Colorado, a new high-rise reveals a unique “sculptural canyon” running vertically through the facade to foster a sense of community and connection to nature.  

November 29, 2024 - designboom

Row of concrete two-story homes with blue tile roofs under construction.

Opinion: “New Towns” Are the Answer to Affordable Housing Challenges

How thoughtful design can create more walkable, livable communities.

November 28, 2024 - Justin Hollander

Rendering of modern black and brown one-story backyard home design

The ADU Movement Grows Around the Country

More states and cities are promoting backyard cottages, converted garages, and other add-on units. Are they making an impact?

November 26, 2024 - Yahoo News

Apartment buildings surrounded by freeways in Laguna Niguel, California.

Balancing TOD and Public Health

Building housing near transportation networks can improve density and walkability, but can also have serious health consequences for residents.

November 26, 2024 - Next City

Empty Parking

Dallas Considers Nixing Parking Requirements

According to one local official, Dallas projects routinely build 20 to 30 percent more parking than they need, driving up the cost of housing and leading to unsustainable land use patterns.

November 25, 2024 - The Real Deal

Rendering of proposed housing development on former Desert Pines golf course in East Las Vegas, Nevada.

Las Vegas Golf Course to Become Over 1,000 Units of Affordable Housing

The project is part of an initiative to build affordable housing on shuttered golf courses.

November 20, 2024 - KTNV

Michigan state capitol dome in Lansing, Michigan.

Michigan Lawmakers Urged to Pass Housing Laws

A raft of proposed bills would protect renters from steep rent increases and ban discrimination based on criminal record and source of income, but the legislature only has a short amount of time to pass them.

November 19, 2024 - Michigan Live

An aerial view of a typical suburban neighborhood in Texas.

A Look Inside the Houston Land Bank

The nonprofit has built over 300 homes in the last five years.

November 18, 2024 - Next City

Aerial view of Portland, Maine at dusk.

Portland, Maine to Revise Zoning Code

The ReCode initiative promotes more diverse housing types and reduces parking requirements, among other changes.

November 18, 2024 - Spectrum News

Colorful multistory apartment builfings in SoHo neighborhood of New York City.

NYC Bans Charging Tenants Broker’s Fees

Landlords can no longer tack on thousands of dollars in fees to new tenants to pay brokers who show rental units.

November 18, 2024 - Curbed

Elevated freeway being demolished in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Bridging Divides: The Crucial Role of Collaboration in Highway Removal

Highway removal is most successful when agencies at all levels of government work closely with each other and the impacted community.

November 17, 2024 - Morgan Florsheim

Aerial view of single-family suburban neighborhood in Dallas, Texas.

How Did We Get Here? Housing Policy and Planners’ Role in Shaping Regional Growth and Prosperity

To navigate the complexities of the current U.S. housing crisis, planners and decision makers must first understand how decades of past policy decisions led us here.

November 15, 2024 - Jennifer Raitt

Historic brick buildings along Spruce Street in Washington Square West, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philly Residents Push Back on New Historic Preservation District

Some residents of Philadelphia’s newly designated Washington Square West Historic District say the community was left out of the decision-making process that could impact housing costs and building requirements.

November 15, 2024 - 34th Street

Craftsman-style two-story home with detached converted garage apartment accessory dwelling unit.

How Cities Can Support ADU Production

Although state-level laws are making it easier for homeowners to build accessory dwelling units, high impact and development fees remain a major barrier for many prospective ADU builders.

November 14, 2024 - HousingWire

Senior woman sitting inchair looking out large window at golden hour in Broomes Island, Maryland.

Homelessness Among Maryland Seniors Rose 77 Percent Since 2018

The high cost of housing is pushing many older adults into homelessness, while shelters are not equipped to address their specific needs.

November 14, 2024 - Maryland Matters

Construction site and cranes in New York City with Empire State Building visible in background.

What Might Federal Housing Policy Look Like in 2025?

Changes to tax incentives, fair housing laws, and housing assistance programs would quickly start impacting local efforts to stem the housing crisis.

November 13, 2024 - Curbed

Close-up of vote-by-mail ballot with pen

Planner’s Guide to 2024 State and Local Ballot Outcomes

Transit and environment came out on top on state and local ballots nationwide, while housing and marijuana initiatives proved less popular with voters.

November 11, 2024 - Mary Hammon

View of multistory buildings under construction in downtown Seattle, Washington with Space Needle and Mount Rainier in background.

Seattle Has No Plans to Ditch Parking Requirements

An update to the city’s comprehensive plan will reduce, but not fully eliminate, parking mandates for housing developments.

November 11, 2024 - The Urbanist

Large Airbnb billboard on neoclassical apartment building in Paris, France.

France Tightens Restrictions on Short-Term Rentals

The vacation rental market is shouldering part of the blame for rising housing costs, particularly in popular tourist destinations.

November 11, 2024 - Fortune

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.