Overly restrictive zoning regulations have stifled the housing supply and driven up rents across the Commonwealth.
A piece by Alex Horowitz and Chase Hatchett for Pew Trusts zeroes in on the housing affordability crisis in Virginia, where homelessness has risen by 13 percent in the last five years and the housing market is short roughly 105,000 units. Statewide, rents increased by 25 percent since 2017.
“In previous times, builders would construct new starter homes to fill that void, but restrictive zoning in most jurisdictions, both in Virginia and nationwide, has blocked lower-cost starter homes through drawn-out permitting processes, large minimum lot sizes, and banning town houses and duplexes.” Yet research shows that the availability of more diverse types of housing lowers average rent costs and offers residents more options for affordable living. “If allowed by zoning, living in smaller homes—whether apartments or otherwise—closer to jobs, schools, stores, and extended family is attractive to many people to reduce commutes, transportation costs, and time spent in traffic.”
FULL STORY: How Restrictive Zoning in Virginia Has Hurt Housing Affordability
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.
New Jersey Calls for 85,000 New Housing Units
A state law known as the Mount Laurel Doctrine mandates that each jurisdiction accommodate enough new housing units to meet the local demand for affordable housing.
California Housing Advocates Closely Watching Bay Area Rezoning Deadline
California’s reaction to cities that fail to submit compliant zoning plans could reverberate across the state as other regions near their deadlines.
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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