The program is aimed at helping local and state governments spur housing construction by reducing regulatory barriers.
A $100 million round of federal grants will target state and local efforts to boost housing construction through eliminating regulatory barriers, reports Kriston Capps in Bloomberg CityLab. According to Capps, “Actions across a number of cabinet-level agencies will address permitting, financing and regulations in order to speed up construction.”
Instead of funding individual projects, the goal is to build long-term capacity for increasing the supply of homes organically by providing carrots to cities to reform their zoning ordinances. For example, leaders in Bend, Oregon, received a $5 million grant to develop a five-year plan to ramp up housing construction and address ongoing infrastructure limitations.
The program aims to support local governments in zoning reform efforts. “The HUD and the Department of the Treasury are also expanding low-cost federal financing available to state and local housing agencies through an innovative public-private risk-sharing initiative that has seen tens of thousands of new affordable housing units built since 2021.”
FULL STORY: Biden Invests $100 Million to Fuel Housing Construction
The Rise of Zoning Reform
As the housing affordability crisis spread from mainly coastal cities to the rest of the nation, cities and states are taking a serious look at outdated zoning codes that hamper efforts to build more housing.
Lawsuit Aims to Stop NYC’s ‘City of Yes’ Zoning Reforms
A lawsuit brought by local lawmakers and community groups claims the plan failed to conduct a comprehensive environmental review.
New Jersey Affordable Housing Law Turns 50
The Mount Laurel Doctrine tasks each city and town with creating enough affordable housing to meet their needs, but half a century after its passage, the law still faces opposition in some parts of the state.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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.
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