Washington State is the latest example of a state that wants to preempt local planning law to make it easier to add housing units to single-family residential properties all over the states.

Dan Bertolet reports on statewide legislation introduced yesterday in Washington by State Representative Nicole Macri (D-Seattle) that would "lift local bans on small-scale, multiple-dwelling homes known as 'middle housing,'"
As explained by Bertolet, HB 2780 would re-legalize, "triplexes on any lot, and up to sixplexes in single-detached house zones in counties and cities of 15,000 or more," as well as, "duplexes on any lot in all cities between 10,000 and 15,000."
HB 2780 joins a growing roster of bills currently under consideration in the Washington Legislature that would ease zoning restrictions and other forms of housing regulation around the state. HB 2570 would ease the construction of backyard cottages and mother-in-law apartments. HB 1923, approved in 2019, increased building capacity around the state, but through incentives rather than a mandate.
HB2780 also joins a growing roster of bills in other states that would preempt local law to allow for more density in single-family zones around the state. Oregon already passed a law, but California, Maryland, Virginia, and Nebraska are considering similar reforms of the traditional single-family zoning designation to allow more space for homes of different sizes in residential neighborhoods.
FULL STORY: WASHINGTON TO CONSIDER RE-LEGALIZING DUPLEXES AND ROWHOUSES STATEWIDE

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.

Which US Rail Agencies Are Buying Zero-Emissions Trains?
U.S. rail agencies are slowly making the shift to zero-emissions trains, which can travel longer distances without refueling and reduce air pollution.

San Diego School District Approves Affordable Housing Plan
The district plans to build workforce housing for 10 percent of its employees in the next decade and explore other ways to contribute to housing development.

Lawsuit Aims to Stop NYC’s ‘City of Yes’ Zoning Reforms
A lawsuit brought by local lawmakers and community groups claims the plan failed to conduct a comprehensive environmental review.
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.
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport