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

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Rebuilding Smarter: How LA County Is Guiding Fire-Ravaged Communities Toward Resilience
Los Angeles County is leading a coordinated effort to help fire-impacted communities rebuild with resilience by providing recovery resources, promoting fire-wise design, and aligning reconstruction with broader sustainability and climate goals.

When Borders Blur: Regional Collaboration in Action
As regional challenges outgrow city boundaries, “When Borders Blur” explores how cross-jurisdictional collaboration can drive smarter, more resilient urban planning, sharing real-world lessons from thriving partnerships across North America.

Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts
Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.
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