housing affordability

Man in green shirt painting yellow and black "Housing is a human right" mural on fence.

Six Reasons Why Housing Is a Human Right

Is housing a human right? A law professor shares six reasons why it should be, from its role in protecting other rights to global recognition and U.S. legal traditions. As public support grows, could housing be the next right written into law?

April 4, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

View of rotating restaurant tower in downtown San Antonio, Texas through older brick high-rise buildings.

San Antonio Remains Affordable as City Grows

The city’s active efforts to keep housing costs down through housing reforms and coordinated efforts among city agencies and developers have kept it one of the most affordable in the nation despite its rapid population growth.

April 3, 2025 - Governing

High view of buildings in University City district in Phialdelphia, Pennsylvania.

Community-Led Efforts to Combat Gentrification in Philadelphia’s University City

How residents came together to fight for housing equity.

March 21, 2025 - Taiwo Adepetun

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

Small white wooden church at edge of large concrete lot with rolling hills or golf course in background.

The YIGBY Movement: Unlocking Church-Owned Land for Affordable Housing

As the housing crisis deepens, interest in faith-based development is spreading across the country. How do YIGBY zoning laws work, where are they being implemented or introduced, and what could it mean for communities and churches?

March 18, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands

The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

March 17, 2025 - The Wall Street Journal

Columbus, Ohio skyline on a sunny day.

Low-Income Columbus Households Struggle to Find Housing

The Ohio city has a more severe affordable housing crisis than more traditionally expensive cities like New York and San Francisco.

March 17, 2025 - Columbus Dispatch

Close-up of musicians loading zone sign on Sixth Street in Austin, Texas at night with illuminated high-rise with pyramidal top in background.

SXSW Panel Addresses Housing Affordability for Artists

Musicians are increasingly hard-pressed to find affordable housing in Austin, a city known for its music scene.

March 11, 2025 - CultureMap Austin

The Capitol dome in Washington, D.C. viewed from middle of Pennsylvania Avenue protected bike lanes.

Planning Trends for 2025: Creative Housing Solutions, Ongoing Transit Woes, and the Ever-Creeping Tentacles of AI

Urban planners have no shortage of urgent issues to delve into, from a deepening housing crisis to an increasingly unpredictable climate to a new federal administration bent on slashing key funding for everything from electric cars to housing assistance.

March 7, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Two pastel green/blue front doors on duplex with decorative wreaths.

How Single-Family Conversions Benefit Both Homeowners and Cities

Converting single-family homes to triplexes can ease the housing crisis and offer affordable, flexible options for more households. Why is it largely illegal?

March 4, 2025 - Strong Towns

Tent covered with camouflage tarp with American flag on front under freeway overpass in California.

Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing

Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.

March 3, 2025 - The Associated Press

Department of Housing and Urban Development building in Washington, D.C. Concrete Brutalist high-rise.

What Trump’s Executive Orders Mean for US Housing Programs

Orders related to DEI and accessibility, among others, may threaten housing programs for those who need them most.

March 3, 2025 - Shelterforce

Colorful rowhouses in Washington, D.C.

DC Residents Want Affordability Over ‘Character’

A poll finds that most residents want to see changes in zoning and land use laws that unlock more housing construction in the District and improve affordability.

February 26, 2025 - Greater Greater Washington

Multistory apartment building under construction.

Permanent Supportive Housing Providers Face Steep Insurance Hikes

High insurance costs are calling some organizations’ future into question as supportive housing providers struggle to meet their expenses.

February 23, 2025 - Next City

Aerial view of suburban mixed-use development outside Austin, Texas with lake in foreground and complex of apartment buildings.

Rents Rose Between December and January

After dropping to a three-year low, U.S. rent costs grew in many major cities.

February 19, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up of blue For Sale sign in front of house.

National Survey Shows ‘Severe, Widespread, and Worsening’ Housing Crisis

Mayors from around the country agree that more support is needed at the federal level to strengthen housing assistance programs.

January 26, 2025 - U.S. Conference of Mayors

Workers assembling a modular housing unit.

Modular Workforce Housing Offers a Lifeline for Western Towns

Rapidly rising housing costs are pushing out the residents at the heart of local economies in resort towns across the country.

January 15, 2025 - Marketplace

Anchorage, Alaska skyline with snowy mountains in background.

Anchorage Leaders Support Multigenerational Housing Model

The city is making it easier to build multigenerational housing that can accommodate families, children, and seniors who want to ‘age in place.’

December 27, 2024 - Alaska Public Media

Aerial view of Rhode Island state capitol in Providence, Rhode Island.

How Will Rhode Island Spend a $120M Housing Bond?

Voters approved a bond measure that includes up to $10 million for creating a public housing entity.

December 15, 2024 - Governing

View of brick buildings and One World Trade Center building and New York City skyline.

NYC’s Proposed Zoning Reforms Lag Behind Other Cities

Cities like Austin and Minneapolis are making major changes to their zoning codes to encourage housing construction, but New York’s proposed reforms are far less ambitious.

December 13, 2024 - The City

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.