Housing

Adult holding hands of two children, all wearing winter coats, in crosswalk in New York City during holidays with trees decorated with lights in background.

The Natalist Case For Sprawl (And Why It Fails)

Some commentators defend anti-urban government policies such as exclusionary zoning on the basis that homeowning suburbanites have high birth rates. But this doesn't seem to be true in recent decades.

April 7, 2025 - Michael Lewyn

Louisville, Kentucky skyline with river and bridge in foreground at dusk.

Louisville Launches ‘Anti-Displacement Tool’

After a years-long, tenant-led effort, Louisville will use a new tool to analyze whether a proposed housing development can meet a neighborhood’s housing needs and income levels. If it doesn’t, the city won’t subsidize it.

March 19, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Close-up of person holding hand-written "Affordable Homes Now!" sign.

America’s Housing Crisis: Lessons Ignored and Challenges Ahead

A recent study reveals how decades of policy missteps, demographic shifts, and economic forces fueled America’s housing crisis, leaving millions — especially millennials — struggling amid rising demand, racial disparities, and climate-driven emergencies.

January 19, 2025 - USC Today

View from back of classroom of elementary school children at desks with raised hands engaged in class.

Why Some Affordable Housing Managers Are Running Education Programs

Many housing organizations are finding that educational programs are a logical — and valuable — addition to their offerings.

December 9, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial view of Sunnyvale Bay Trail on top of former landfill. Scenic view of San Francisco Bay with levees, salt marshes and sloughs.

Insights and Innovations from the California Land Recycling Conference

The 2024 CLRC showcased innovative strategies for transforming brownfields into sustainable, equitable community assets, emphasizing environmental, social, and economic empowerment through land reuse.

October 14, 2024 - Center for Creative Land Recycling

Asphalt road on coast with collapsed segments from erosion.

We Must Relocate to Prepare for Climate Change, and We Must Do it Now

As flooding, sea level rise, fires, and other climate impacts increase, we’ll need to move about 20 million Americans by 2100. Here’s how we can rethink managed retreat to get ahead of the rising tides.

August 8, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Brick New York City apartment building exterior with fire escape stairs and AC window units.

Beating Extreme Heat Through Community Efforts

U.S. cities don't provide residents with enough protection against heat, the deadliest weather-related killer in the world. In New York City, one organization came together to distribute ACs to neighbors in need.

August 1, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

A Place to Recover from Illness: How Medical Respite Programs Help Unhoused People Heal

For people experiencing homelessness, recuperating after a hospitalization is difficult. Medical respite programs can help. Why aren't they more common?

August 1, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Nighttime view of Cincinnati, Ohio skyline

Strength in Diversity: Crafting an Affordable Housing Coalition in Cincinnati

The city’s longtime champions of housing for low-income residents joined forces with an array of allies to establish a sustainable source of funding for affordable housing.

July 12, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

View of Auckland, New Zealand with construction cranes.

New Zealand Zoning Reform Targets Housing Production

New national rules will prevent local councils from limiting development in an effort to ease the nation’s housing crisis.

July 12, 2024 - Associated Press

Rendering of aerial view of greenbelt separating farmland and residential area for California Forever development.

Two and a Half Cheers for the Tech Billionaires

For all of California Forever's flaws, it is a litmus test: are California’s public officials and housing advocates really serious about trying to meet the Bay Area’s housing needs, or is housing for them just another series of performative gestures?

May 19, 2024 - Alan Mallach

Bird's eye view of downtown Bozeman, Montana, with mountains on the horizon

Montana Land Use Reform Overhauls Public Participation Rules

In a bid to streamline housing permits, new state legislation limits public input to the land use planning stage.

January 24, 2024 - Daily Inter Lake

Multifamily building with blue sky in the background.

5 Trends for Affordable Housing in 2024

Technology and policy are just two factors shaping the future of affordable housing.

December 21, 2023 - Building Design & Construction

Roadside motel with turquoise room doors in Tucumcari, New Mexico.

Low-Barrier Motel Shelter Is a Success—But Not an Easy One

Many guests at Motels4Now are on their second or third stays—but staff say that's doesn't equal failure, and the numbers bear that out.

September 28, 2023 - Shelterforce Magazine

White two-story abandoned farmhouse in lush green field surrounded by trees in West Virginia.

West Virginia Tackles Vacancy With Tax Reform

The Center for Community Progress made recommendations for tax reform in West Virginia to address vacancy. Guided by CCP's suggestions, the state auditor’s office has passed two laws to change its tax sales process and keep properties in use.

September 28, 2023 - Shelterforce Magazine

Connecticut

Land Use Reform Picks Up Momentum in Connecticut Again

Multiple statewide land use reform proposals are up for debate in the Nutmeg State. Which, if any, will become law?

February 27, 2023 - Mark H. McNulty

Elderly woman wearing Covid mask holding up "Housing is a human right" sign during tenants' rights protest

Biden’s Renters’ Rights Blueprint: Meaningful or Not?

What should we make of the administration’s tenants' rights announcement?

February 15, 2023 - Shelterforce Magazine

Vacant storefront on a New York City street with For Lease sign

The Future of Ground-Floor Retail

With demand for housing growing and for physical storefronts waning, do the restrictions imposed by ground-floor retail zoning still make sense?

August 30, 2022 - American Planning Association

Gil Penalosa speaking on a stage at Velo-city conference in Seville, Spain, with bicycle in foreground

Urbanist Gil Peñalosa Running for Toronto Mayor

The former parks commissioner for Bogotá, Colombia is throwing his hat in the ring in Toronto’s mayoral race.

July 15, 2022 - Toronto Star

Boston Housing

A Land Use and Development Playbook For Value-Capture and Creating Currency For Local Community Development

Larry Kosmont shares what cities need to do to meet escalating state requirements; add housing density; fix shopping centers; replace sales tax; pay for constituent services; plan for the future; and capture value created by economic restructuring.

March 28, 2022 - VerdeXchange News

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.