Housing

A Reckoning For The Ideology Of Homeownership

Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) chastises those whom he calls the "homeownership ideologues" for promoting homeownership to lower income households.

April 22, 2008 - Truthout

Gray Gold: Housing The Baby Boomers

A recent working paper considers the implications of housing the nation's aging population.

April 21, 2008 - Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

New Website Shows Impact Of Transportation On Housing Costs

A new interactive mapping website launched by the Center for Neighborhood Technology in partnership with The Brookings Institution shows how affordability changes from neighborhood to neighborhood based on housing and transportation.

April 21, 2008 - The Washington Post

A Battle Over Building Heights

In anti-growth Santa Barbara, preservationists and smart growth advocates have forged a compromise that will permit taller buildings for developments that include affordable housing.

April 19, 2008 - The Santa Barbara Independent

New HUD Chief Named

President George W. Bush is expected to announce his nomination of Steve Preston, head of the Small Business Association, as the new chief of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

April 18, 2008 - The New York Times

Market Woes Stifle 'Great Park' Progress

Three years after Irvine, California's "Great Park" was approved, development of the planned public spaces, homes and businesses has struggled to move forward. The housing crisis is being blamed for the lack of action.

April 17, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

States Take Action on Foreclosures While Federal Government Stumbles

Without a clear federal plan to counteract the swath of foreclosures sweeping across the country, state governments are finding ways to reduce the local impacts.

April 16, 2008 - The Washington Post

The Fight for $1 Homes

A HUD plan that allows municipalities to buy up foreclosed homes for just $1 is causing controversy in Wayne County, Michigan, where cities and counties are fighting over who is best suited to take over abandoned homes.

April 16, 2008 - The Detroit Free Press

Housing Bubble Goes Global

Housing markets around the world are beginning to feel the effects of the American mortgage crisis.

April 15, 2008 - International Herald Tribune

The Explosive Growth of Homestead, Florida

Perhaps named as a self-fulfilling prophecy, the last seven years have brought unprecedented residential growth to Homestead, Florida. Commercial development is just trying to keep up.

April 15, 2008 - The Miami Herald

Los Angeles Official Takes Up Anti-Density Cause

Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky has becoming increasingly outspoken against the city's new density bonus, saying it goes against the will of residents and will contribute to the destruction of stable neighborhoods.

April 14, 2008 - Los Angeles

Five Communities That Have Avoided The Subprime Meltdown

While most of the country is feeling the pain of the subprime mortgage crisis, these communities have managed to fly under the radar.

April 14, 2008 - MainStreet.com

The United States of Gordon Gekkos?

The current housing crisis in America is a product of greed -- not just the greed of homebuilders and mortgage lenders, but also the greed of consumers. Could planners have done more to prevent this greed from crashing the market?

April 14, 2008 - Sriram Khé, PhD

Eco-Cities: Today's Garden Cities

England's plans to build 3 million new homes by 2020, and much emphasis has been placed on making them environmentally friendly. The push for "eco-town" draw a strong parallel to the "Garden Cities" of the past.

April 12, 2008 - The Times

Is This McMansion Green?

A New York developer is unveiling plans for a fleet of luxury homes that aim to comply with LEED environmental standards. But this article from The New York Times wonders whether that really makes the homes green.

April 12, 2008 - The New York Times

Residents Sue Over State Density Bonus Law

Upset about the effect of California State Bill 1818's override of local zoning restrictions, a Los Angeles resident has sued the city to overturn its density bonus ordinance. Others may soon follow.

April 10, 2008 - Los Angeles Daily News

The Modern Prefab Home Movement

In a recent interview, architect Allison Arieff talks about the past, present and future of modern prefabricated housing.

April 10, 2008 - The Chicago Tribune

A Comeback For Public Housing?

With HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson's departure, it's time to begin reinvesting in the nation's public housing stock.

April 9, 2008 - The Baltimore Sun

Maligned Redevelopment Agencies Asked To Solve Foreclosure Crisis

California's redevelopment agencies are feeling pressure on numerous fronts these days. Some may go out of business next year. Still, state lawmakers are considering giving the agencies authority to buy out subprime mortgages.

April 6, 2008 - California Planning & Development Report

Who Will Senate's Housing Crisis Plan Help?

A new plan in the Senate looks to help the country deal with the backlash of the housing crisis by offering tax breaks and credit. But will it help people whose homes have been foreclosed?

April 4, 2008 - NPR

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.