Housing Development

New York City skyline with construction cranes in foreground

NYC Mayor Adams Proposes Ambitious Housing Agenda in State of the City Address

Housing is one of four “pillars” proposed by Mayor Eric Adams in his “Working People’s Agenda.”

January 30, 2023 - NYC Office of the Mayor

Multicolored four-story New York City buildings with storefronts on ground floor

New York City Council Wants Community Engagement to Lead Affordable Housing Development

New York Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams have proposed very different responses to the city’s lack of affordable housing.

December 21, 2022 - Brownstoner

Los Angeles Residential

Critics Expect L.A.’s New ‘Mansion Tax’ to Chill Development Market

A new real estate transfer tax won the approval of L.A. voters after being promoted as a “mansion tax.” No some real estate and development experts are saying that the new transfer tax will have a much broader impact on the real estate market.

December 19, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Vacant lot in Chicago, Illinois with skyline in background

Chicago To Boost Vacant Lot Sales Program

The city hopes its incentives to buyers will help convert the thousands of city-owned vacant lots into housing, green space, or other productive uses.

October 19, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

View looking down on construction of multiple buildings in San Francisco's Transbay Transit Center District

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.

July 4, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

Oahu

'Monster Homes' Not the Desired Density Solution for Oahu

Questions of density, and how to add it to single-family neighborhoods, abound in this article focusing on Honolulu and other communities on Oahu.

March 2, 2022 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Gaslamp Quarter

California Court Upholds Density Bonus Law

In a rebuff to proponents of local control, a California state appeals court upheld a 1979 law that allows developers to bypass local zoning regulations when including affordable housing in their projects.

February 8, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

Row Houses at 48th between Walton and Cedar, West Philadelphia

Philadelphia on Track to Build Record Number of Apartments in 2022

A researcher from the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation at Drexel University tells a tale of two housing markets—rental and for-sale—in the City of Brotherly Love.

January 4, 2022 - WHYY

View south along New Jersey State Route 17 at the exit for Saddle River

New Jersey Affordable Housing Plan Testimony Concludes After 14 Months

A housing plan in one of the wealthiest zip codes in the country has stirred more than a year of controversy.

January 3, 2022 - NorthJersey.com

Town Homes

Report Links Housing Growth and Climate Resilience

Data from three U.S. metro areas show a failure to address land use and sprawl as a key factor driving climate change.

December 26, 2021 - The Brookings Institution

South San Jose houses

Report: How States Can Improve Housing Policy

While many policies that affect housing are decided on at the local level, there are several steps state officials can take to pave the way for healthier housing markets.

November 24, 2021 - The Brookings Institution

Brooklyn Redevelopment

Study: Market-Rate Development Filters Into Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing

New research sheds new light on one of the most hotly debated questions in planning and development.

September 15, 2021 - Full Stack Economics

Washington D.C. Row Houses

Report: D.C. Housing Too Decentralized

Over the last three decades, the D.C. region has seen the most development in far-flung exurbs disconnected from area jobs and transit networks.

September 2, 2021 - Brookings Institution

City Hall Philadelphia

Philadelphia Accelerator Fund Will Finance Black and Brown-Led Affordable Housing

The fund seeks to level the playing field by making it easier for Black and brown developers to gain access to capital.

May 26, 2021 - WHYY

Texas Apartment Construction

New Developments Lower Rents in Surrounding Neighborhoods, Study Says

A study that made the rounds as a working paper at the beginning of 2019 has now been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

May 11, 2021 - The Review of Economics and Statistics

Public Housing

New York Residents Support Affordable Housing, Survey Says

Contrary to the dominant narrative about the negative perceptions of affordable housing projects among the public, a recent survey reveals widespread support for affordable housing in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut metropolitan region.

April 23, 2021 - Regional Plan Association

Washington, D.C. Historic District

Balancing Aesthetics and Affordability

Policies too narrowly focused on design can drive up the cost of construction and prevent the development of affordable housing.

April 20, 2021 - Slate

Building Trades

New Market-Rate Housing Lowers Rents for Everyone, According to New Research

A study published by a German researcher adds ammunition to the cause of improving housing affordability by legalizing and building new supply.

December 15, 2020 - City Observatory

City by the Bay

State Audit Faults California's Affordable Housing Development Processes

The California State Auditor's office is proposing an overhaul of the state's approach to affordable housing development, citing the cost burdens of the housing market as proof of the necessity for change.

November 18, 2020 - Auditor of the State of California

Oregon

The 'Most Pro-Housing Reform in U.S. History' Expected for Approval Today in Portland

The Portland Residential Infill Project is expected for approval by the Portland City Council today, culminating a six year process that became more and more ambitious with every iteration.

August 12, 2020 - Sightline Institute

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

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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.