Affordable Housing

Plenty of Luxury Units to Go Around—While Affordable Housing Gets Less Affordable
The market for luxury apartment rentals is booming; the market for affordable rentals is not.

San Francisco Planning Department Proposes Increasing Heights in Neighborhoods
The San Francisco Planning Department is proposing a trade-off to neighborhoods to comply with a state density bonus law: Modestly increase height and density limits in exchange for more affordable housing.

San Francisco Mega-Project Sets the 'Affordable' Bar High
A mega-project in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood is exciting for its size an prize tag—and remarkable for the income levels that define "affordable" in San Francisco these days.

Berlin Moves To Protect, Expand Affordable Housing
Berlin's Senate has approved a sweeping reform of the city's housing policy, limiting rents on close to 400,000 public housing units to no more than 30 percent of a household income.

Gentrification and Affordability Worries Arise Over a Proposed Vancouver Tower
A 12-story residential tower proposed for a Vancouver neighborhood is receiving pushback from housing advocates and the local Chinese community.

Are Land Use Policies Mostly Hurting the Poor?
In a new paper, researchers find that land use regulations in cities have effectively created a "zoning tax," which primarily impacts the poor and renting class.
Commercial Linkage Fee Approved—Seattle Moving Forward with Affordable Housing Agenda
The Seattle City Council recently took the first legislative step in the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) process.
In Illinois: an Affordable Housing Board in Name Only
More evidence of the inability of the Illinois Housing Planning and Appeal Act to achieve its stated goals.

Dispelling Four Myths of Houston's Growth and Affordability
A researcher at Rice University finds that proclamations of Houston’s affordability, gentrification, and growth are just myths.
San Francisco Election Results: Airbnb Regulations, Mission Moratorium, Housing Bond
San Francisco voters rejected a moratorium on market rate housing in The Mission (Prop. I) and tighter restrictions on Airbnb (Prop. F), while approving the city's largest-ever housing bond (Prop. H) and a large mixed-use development.

Op-Ed: Why Cities Need the 'Poor Door'
Drawing on a distinction between equality and equity, Rick Jacobus argues that so-called 'poor doors' are a necessary compromise to promote affordable housing and neighborhood integration.

Supply, Demand, and Housing Prices, Part 2
Rebutting arguments against the law of supply and demand.

Portland, Maine Approves Inclusionary Zoning
The latest city to implement mandatory inclusionary zoning: Portland, Maine. The City Council decision contradicted the Planning Board's recommendation.

Advocates Push for Affordable Housing on Dormant Public Property
Affordable housing advocates are pushing the city to use underutilized city owned property to build more housing, but it doesn't always pencil out.
Portland Struggling with the Politics of Affordable Housing Funds
A decision about how to fund the city of Portland's approach to a worsening affordable housing problem has taken longer than expected.

The Conflicting Goals of America's Housing Policy
Current housing policies at the local and national level have tried to make housing more affordable while at the same time increasing the value of homes, recognizing them as a personal investment.

Lawyer Sees the 'Ghost of Seattle's Future'
This favorable profile of Jack McCullough, a Seattle lawyer representing developers, highlights his role as a deal-maker. Recent agreements between his clients and Mayor Ed Murray may preserve a path forward for affordable housing.

Affordable Housing Becomes More Affordable in California Due to Parking Reform
AB 744, a bill which requires no more than one parking space be provided for every two units of affordable and senior housing proximate to transit, was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Oct. 9.

Bay Area Warned: Millennials Will Leave if Housing Prices Don't Change
Millennials in the Bay Area are feeling priced out, and may bolt if they can't find housing they can afford.

Seattle's Struggle to Build Affordable Housing
The Emerald City's affordable housing difficulties mirror those of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and others: too much demand and too few resources.
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