New national rules will prevent local councils from limiting development in an effort to ease the nation’s housing crisis.
New Zealand plans to ease zoning restrictions to allow for more housing development, reports Charlotte Graham-McClay for the Associated Press. New legislation requires cities to free up land for development and accommodate projected growth for the next 30 years, rather than the three years required by prior regulations.
The new rules prevent local councils from imposing urban boundaries or banning mixed-use development. They will also prohibit local councils from mandating balconies, minimum sizes, and other requirements that make development more expensive.
Housing costs in the country have soared in the last two decades and remain much higher than in 2019. New Zealand renters spend a higher percentage of their income on rent than residents of any other country, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, saw success with a similar policy introduced in 2016, which led to a significant boost in construction and lower housing costs.
Some legislators opposed the change, saying that urban growth won’t be sustainable without additional government investment in infrastructure, and that sprawl could destroy valuable agricultural land.
FULL STORY: New Zealand will radically ease zoning rules to try to relieve its housing shortage
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.
2024: The Year in Zoning
Cities and states are leaning on zoning reform to help stem the housing crisis and create more affordable, livable neighborhoods.
NYC’s Proposed Zoning Reforms Lag Behind Other Cities
Cities like Austin and Minneapolis are making major changes to their zoning codes to encourage housing construction, but New York’s proposed reforms are far less ambitious.
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.
Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025
Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.
Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design
Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.
A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton
Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.
Decarbonizing Homes: The Case for Electrifying Residential Heating
A new MIT study finds that transitioning residential heating from natural gas to electric heat pumps can significantly reduce carbon emissions and operational costs.
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.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
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