The new rules aim to make it easier to build small multifamily housing developments.
Grand Rapids, Michigan city officials unanimously approved a package of zoning reforms aimed at increasing the housing supply, reports Michael Kransz in M Live. The city aims to add more than 14,000 new housing units by 2027 to meet rising demand.
According to Kransz, “The broad set of changes apply to residential neighborhoods and will remove some city approvals needed for developers to create multi-family housing developments with six or less apartments in those neighborhoods. It will also remove some city approvals needed to build smaller, independent residential dwelling units attached or detached to homes.” The new rules also eliminate parking requirements for new housing with less than six units and raises the number of unrelated people that can live in a household. City leaders hope these changes will create more opportunities for smaller, infill development projects.
Grand Rapids planners are developing a Community Master Plan to guide development over the next two decades.
FULL STORY: Grand Rapids approves zoning changes to help address ‘housing crisis’
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.
Court Blocks Arlington County Zoning Reform
The county’s zoning reform plan would have promoted ‘missing middle housing’ types of up to six units on lots previously zoned for single-family housing.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
SoCal Leaders Debate Moving Coastal Rail Line
Train tracks running along the Pacific Ocean are in danger from sea level rise, but residents are divided on how to fix the problem.
Are Mobility Hubs Child-Friendly?
‘Mobility hubs’ aim to make urban travel easier by connecting travel modes. Adding more services could make them more accessible and useful to women and families.
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research