Instead of waiting for developers to come into town with plans for affordable housing, some Connecticut towns are taking advantage of a statewide grant program that helps establish zones for high density and affordable housing.
Cities in the state are finding it more effective to dictate where affordable housing can go, as opposed to simply reacting to development plans with calls for certain affordable housing requirements.
"Historically, that philosophy has been a hard sell for proponents of affordable housing. Most communities have strongly resisted such housing, even in the face of a state law that eases the way for developers if less than 10 percent of a town's housing stock qualifies as affordable.
Although the law is routinely criticized for overriding local density restrictions, few municipalities have acted on their own to plan for affordable housing.
Now, as concern grows that high housing costs and lagging job growth are driving young people out of the state, towns have lined up to take advantage of the year-old grant program - called the Housing Program for Economic Growth, or HOMEConnecticut."
FULL STORY: Towns Accommodate ‘Affordable’
Gainesville in Final Discussions on Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance
A see-saw battle over land use and housing policy continues in the city of Gainesville.
San Francisco Housing Construction Far Slower Than Other Tech Hubs
Experts blame high land and construction costs and restrictive regulations for San Francisco’s dismal rate of housing construction, which lags behind other fast-growing cities like Austin and Seattle.
San Francisco to Reconsider Inclusionary Zoning as Development Slows to a Crawl
Critics of inclusionary zoning frequently point to San Francisco as an example of what not to do. A sluggish year of development has some local politicians ready to reconsider the city’s program.
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?
Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access
A proposed bill would legalize transit-oriented development statewide.
Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills
Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.
Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units
Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service