Housing

A Smart Growth Report Card

The Modesto Bee does a thorough ranking of cities and town in California's Central Valley and how 'smart' their growth is. Oakdale, CA comes out on top, while Gustine is the dunce of the group.

October 27, 2008 - Modesto Bee

Post-Katrina Housing Goes Ikea

Following the Ikea model, home builder John Sawyer is bringing a new -- and cheaper -- process to affordable housing in New Orleans.

October 25, 2008 - The Christian Science Monitor

Affordable Housing as 'Olympic Legacy'

Vancouver Olympic officials have announced that temporary Olympic housing units will be reused as permanent affordable housing after the Games.

October 22, 2008 - The Province

Right to be Homeless - With Shelter - Established in B.C.

A court decision in British Columbia allowing people to camp in public parks has resulted in tent cities for the homeless. It is a precedent that may have ramifications across the country.

October 21, 2008 - Globe & Mail

A Way Out of the Housing Mess?

Joseph Nocera reports on a proposal to rescue homeowners that lets people live in their homes, and doesn't require any government money.

October 20, 2008 - AlterNet

Home Prices Expected to Keep Falling

Home prices are falling across the country, but there are signs that they're not done falling yet.

October 20, 2008 - The New York Times

Which Cities Stretch Dollars The Farthest?

Texas cities top a ranking by Forbes of where your dollar goes the farthest. Affordable housing and promising job prospects made a big difference.

October 18, 2008 - Forbes

Friday Funny: Divorcing Couple Cut House in Two

40 years of marriage was apparently too many, as a man in Cambodia cut his home in two, moving his half to his parents' property.

October 17, 2008 - CNN

Affordable Housing Needs Affordable Land

Witold Rybzynski details the vicious cycle behind the nation's shortage of affordable housing.

October 16, 2008 - The Wilson Quarterly

'Housing That Works' Plan Announced

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has announced that within the next five years, $5 billion will go to funding 20,000 new affordable homes near public transportation.

October 16, 2008 - The Architect's Newspaper

Urban Planners, Butt Out!

The authors of one study assert that vibrant cities can't be engineered by the application of "nuanced criteria"; however, this has very much become the paradigm of urban planning.

October 15, 2008 - Toronto Star

Boston Burdened by Surge in Homelessness

Unlike many other states faced with the challenge of housing its homeless, Massachusetts is mandated by law to do so. Unfortunately, Massachusetts is also faced with budget shortfalls, making solutions elusive.

October 15, 2008 - NPR

Mexico to Invest Billions in Infrastructure

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has announced a $4.3 billion plan to improve the country's infrastructure, schools and housing stock.

October 14, 2008 - BBC

Affordable Housing in a Tough Market

Ann Arbor, Michigan bought a former YMCA building to serve as affordable housing. Four years later, it sits empty, a piece of the difficult housing puzzle. 'Given the environment now, it would be tough,' says one planner about the site.

October 14, 2008 - Mlive.com

Subdivisions Becoming Ghost Towns

As foreclosures spread throughout the suburbs, subdivisions are rapidly becoming modern-day ghost towns, according to this column from The Seattle Times.

October 13, 2008 - The Seattle Times

Bailout Will Try to Save Suburbs, But Can't

Despite the $700 billion financial bailout plan, the suburbs will continue to lose population and value, according to Peter Katz. He says it's time for the government to prevent suburban development that is only doomed to fail.

October 12, 2008 - Citiwire

New York Families Make One Bedroom Work

The amount of young families squeezing into one-bedroom apartments in New York City is on the rise.

October 11, 2008 - The New York Times

Housing for Post-Foster Care Kids

As many as 65% of foster care kids in Utah end up homeless and on the streets. A youth commission in Salt Lake County is proposing a new sort of housing project to help young adults as they age out of the foster care system.

October 10, 2008 - The Salt Lake Tribune

One-in-Six Homeowners 'Underwater'

Some 12 million households now owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth, leading economists to worry that foreclosures will continue to rise.

October 10, 2008 - MSNBC

McCain's Mortgage Buyout Plan Draws Criticism

Media analysts and economists are confused about presidential candidate John McCain's proposed "Homeownership Resurgence Plan," which would see Washington spend up to $300 billion to become a "lender of last resort."

October 9, 2008 - Globe and Mail

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.