Affordable Housing

Columbus Set to Reform Zoning Code
City officials want to streamline the permitting process for developers looking to build housing.

Arlington to Open Housing Voucher Waiting List
Despite a high need in the area, it’s been more than a decade since the Virginia city last opened applications for housing vouchers.

California to Invest $750 Million in 16 ’Jobs-Rich’ Areas
California is funding a sweeping package of investments expected to deliver big benefits in housing affordability and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

HUD Updates Fair Market Rate Definition
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced two actions last week intended to expand the reach of federal housing voucher programs.

Alexandria Set to Reveal Zoning Reform Details
The city will hold a series of public meetings this fall to explain its efforts to boost housing production and affordability.

Montreal Developers Prefer to Pay Rather Than Build Affordable Housing
Housing advocates say a 2021 bylaw aimed at building more affordable housing units is too lenient, letting developers opt out by paying a fee some consider too low.

Five Years of California’s Landmark Land Use Law, SB 35
It’s been five years since the California Legislature approved Senate Bill 35 to clear hurdles to housing construction. How much of its intentions has the law accomplished, and what should planners look for in the next few years?

Boston Grant Program Supports Greener Affordable Housing
The city wants to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Housing Crisis Grows in Rural Idaho
The state’s smaller communities are feeling the pressure of sharply rising housing costs, stagnating wages, and an aging population.

What Happened to the Tiny Homes Revolution?
Tiny homes were one of the hot button topics of the previous decade. In 2023? Not so much.

Zero New Housing Permits Issued in Manhattan Last Month
July was a dead month when it comes to approving new housing units.

How One L.A. Developer Uses the Law to Build Apartments
California’s density bonus law lets developers skirt some zoning regulations to build multifamily housing.

Durango Mobile Home Park Residents Form Community Land Trust
The model of combining housing co-ops with community land trusts could show a new path forward for increasing housing stability.

The Relationship Between Rents and Housing Supply
Despite a strong belief in market forces in many other aspects of the economy, many Americans don’t see a correlation between housing supply and housing costs.

A Dirty Little Secret: Rising Property Values Are Incompatible With Affordability
Rising property values come with positive community development, but this shift can make neighborhoods inaccessible to low-income renters and fixed-income homeowners.

Short-Term Rentals Continue to Evade Regulations
City leaders around the world are struggling to control the short-term rental market, which many fear is jeopardizing the housing supply and displacing longtime residents.

Where Have all the Kit Homes Gone?
Buying a house through the Sears catalog was, for a brief historical moment, a popular and affordable way to become a homeowner.

State Databases Target Affordable Housing
Housing search websites collect information about income-restricted housing in an effort to assist renters in finding and accessing affordable housing.

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.

Phoenix Could Ease Parking Requirements to Support Transit, Affordable Housing
In addition to lower citywide parking requirements on residential properties, a proposed law in Phoenix would lower minimum parking requirements even further for affordable housing developments near the city’s light rail system.
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