Some of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country are also the ones building the most new housing.
What do the fastest-growing parts of the country have in common? According to a piece by Justin Fox in Bloomberg CityLab, it’s not lower taxes, better weather, or lower crime rates. It’s the availability of housing.
According to Fox, the South and inland West, home to 46.3 percent of the U.S. population, accounted for 65.8 percent of new housing construction between 2020 and 2022. Admittedly, “Many of these metro areas are able to build so much more housing in part because they’re surrounded by mostly flat land on which developers can easily plunk down new subdivisions.” Other, more geographically challenging, cities, like Seattle, have taken conscious actions to promote multifamily development. “Apartments also made up the majority of new housing permitted in and around Austin, Salt Lake City and Denver, and more than 40% in metro Orlando, San Antonio and Richmond.”
Meanwhile, while the nation’s biggest cities and walkable urban areas remain desirable—and, despite early pandemic predictions, nowhere near ‘dead’—they are also less and less affordable for most U.S. households.
See the source article for charts detailing the most and least affordable cities in the country, as well as rates of housing construction.
FULL STORY: What Do US Growth Zones Have in Common? They Build Housing
Stuck, Part II: Why Do People Move (Or Not Move)?
Yes, Americans are moving a lot less, but why? In this part of my post, I drill down to try to unearth some of the reasons. It turns out they're complicated.
DC Residents Want Affordability Over ‘Character’
A poll finds that most residents want to see changes in zoning and land use laws that unlock more housing construction in the District and improve affordability.
Rents Rose Between December and January
After dropping to a three-year low, U.S. rent costs grew in many major cities.
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.
Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software
Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.
Oakland to Add 244 New EV Chargers
Oakland plans to launch its new charging network at eight locations by the end of 2025.
Jane Goodall Inspires with Message of Hope, Resilience, and Environmental Action
Speaking in Pasadena, Jane Goodall offered a hopeful and inspirational message, urging global compassion, environmental responsibility, and the power of individual action to shape a better future.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland