To boost the state's housing supply, some New York lawmakers want to eliminate local control over single-family zoning.

Single-family zoning once again takes center stage as New York State lawmakers dispute the merits of proposed bills that would preempt local zoning codes, allowing homeowners to rent out secondary units such as basements, top floors, and other accessory dwelling unit (ADU) types. As David Brand reports, housing advocates argue that single-family zoning—and the state laws that allow local jurisdictions to enforce it—are suppressing housing construction and enabling New York's affordable housing shortage.
A 2019 report from the Department of City Planning found that New York City added 770,000 new jobs between 2001 and 2018, but only 407,000 new units of housing, creating steep competition for minimal middle-income and low-income housing. A year later, a report by the Citizens Budget Commission found that housing production rates in suburban Westchester, Rockland and Nassau Counties are among the lowest in the country, in large part due to exclusionary zoning.
Consequently, over 40 percent of downstate New York residents spend more than a third of their income on rent, while many live in unpermitted ADUs that could pose safety risks, such as the basement apartments that flooded during Hurricane Ida. Proponents of the bills argue that legalizing ADU rental would increase available housing units and help homeowners bring existing units up to code to protect tenants.
FULL STORY: Hochul, Lawmakers Look to Override NY’s Exclusionary Zoning Amid Housing Crunch

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?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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