Housing

British Pubs Endangered

A group of concerned, beer-drinking citizens is issuing a warning that more than 50 pubs are closing every month in England due to a planning loophole that makes it easy for owners to convert their bars into more profitable housing developments.

August 16, 2007 - BBC

Condo Conversions Leaving Seniors Stranded

The wave of condo conversions in the Seattle area is hitting seniors especially hard.

August 16, 2007 - The Seattle Times

Building Restrictions Pit Builders Against City

City officials in a Boston suburb are once again trying to approve building restrictions that would cut down the size of new houses in the city. Builders' groups are lobbying the city to find a compromise.

August 13, 2007 - The Boston Globe

Homeless Turn To Public Libraries

A lack of attention to the problem of homelessness is turning our public libraries into homeless shelters.

August 13, 2007 - Wichita Eagle

Prosperous Pockets Peak Out Of Slow Housing Market

The real estate market is reportedly down in many major metropolitan areas, but within them pockets of high-value properties are flourishing.

August 13, 2007 - The Baltimore Sun

The Luxurious Future Of Housing

Architects and housing experts look to the future of housing and predict increases in the amount of gadgets and furnishings rather than square footage.

August 12, 2007 - The Washington Post

Advocates Upset Over Proposed Changes To Affordable Housing Policy

Housing advocates in Sacramento are up in arms over proposed changes to the city's housing policy that would shift responsibility for building affordable units from the developer to the city -- changes they say will limit the policy's effectiveness.

August 12, 2007 - The Sacramento Bee

Landlords Find Loophole To Ease Condo Conversion

In the Alberta Province of Canada, a loophole in a law meant to protect tenants from being evicted for condo conversions has been discovered that allows landlords to legally raise the rents as high as they want, effectively pricing tenants out.

August 9, 2007 - CBC

Multi-Family Homes Overtake Single-Family Homes In L.A.

In Los Angeles and much of Southern California, more multi-family homes are being planned and built than single-family residences.

August 7, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Earthen Homes Could Offer Sustainable Alternative To Stick-Built Houses

Cob houses -- some of which have lasted half a millennium in Europe -- are gaining interest among homeowners looking for a sustainable, inexpensive, and long-lasting structure.

August 6, 2007 - The Globe & Mail

A Reality Check On Home Size

With the era of easy financing over, buyers should seek out smaller, more affordable homes.

August 6, 2007 - The Washington Post

Affordable Housing Buyers Trapped By Association Fees

Even when lower-income households are lucky enough to find an affordable home to purchase, high association fees can put a damper on their initial good fortune.

August 6, 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Immigrants Provide Bright Spot In Otherwise Grim Housing Market

Immigration has become a hot spot in the presidential primaries, with immigrants being blamed for crime and consuming vital social services. Now a Harvard study has analyzed how they have affected, and will affect, the for-sale housing market.

August 6, 2007 - AP vis San Francisco Examiner

The Left-Leaning NIMBY

In Marin County and other wealthy, liberal enclaves, many residents are vocally supportive of affordable housing and other causes -- unless its in their neighborhood.

August 3, 2007 - Mother Jones

Downsizing The American Dream

Are Americans ready to shed their preference for oversized homes? With new regulations in the pipeline, and sustainability all the rage, opponents of McMansions certainly hope so.

August 1, 2007 - The Guardian

Two Examples Of Green Building: Fancy And Frugal

While pricey eco-chic homes garner lots of attention, living green doesn't have to mean expensive materials and complicated retrofits.

August 1, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

When People Run Away From Their Home

Municipal officials, real estate professionals, and neighborhood residents are struggling with the new suburban phenomenon of home abandonment.

July 31, 2007 - The Arizona Republic

Working Together For Great Neighborhoods

In Kalamazoo, Michigan, citizens of all ages are engaging each other to create and maintain safe and active neighborhoods.

July 31, 2007 - Kalamazoo Gazette

The Rise Of The Surburban Slum?

William Fulton observes that while high-income households are flocking to the inner-city and gobbling up pricey condos, poor families are having to double and triple up just to afford a home in the suburbs.

July 31, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Corruption At The Los Angeles City Housing Authority

A Los Angeles Times investigation reveals a highly-paid manager for the Los Angeles City Housing Authority rigging bids worth nearly $1 million over four years.

July 30, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

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