Land Use Regulations
Statewide Zoning Changes Adopted in Oregon to Limit Parking, Add Missing Middle
The state of Oregon made planning history in 2019 by adopting House Bill 2001, paving the way for the state to preempt local exclusionary zoning laws. Now, over a year later, the state land use board has decided how to implement that goal.
Atlanta to Tackle Affordability by Zoning Reform
A new initiative designed to implement the goals of the One Atlanta Housing Affordability Action Plan was announced last week in Atlanta.
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.
Ballot Box Planning: Letting Voters Decide
Land use planning decisions are mostly made by city councils and planning commissions. But there are times when the people decide, as exemplified by the city of Monterey Park's recently approved Measure JJ.
Roanoke Finds a Planning Work Around to Approve New Transit Station
With Planning Commission approval in hand, the Roanoke City Council will soon consider a controversial proposal for a new transit station in the city's downtown.
Why Have ADUs Proliferated in Portland, Lagged in D.C.?
A new report by the Urban Institute examines the consequences of small differences in land use regulations.
Unlocking the Potential of Transit Adjacent Land for Housing Affordability
A case study from the Boston region shows the power of allowing moderate density on transit adjacent residential parcels currently available only to single-family detached homes.
On the Ballot in Alameda: The End of Single-Family Zoning
Voters in Alameda, a city of nearly 80,000 people on an island in the East San Francisco Bay Area, will vote to end a prohibition on multi-family housing that has been in place since 1973.
A Pro-Development Approach to Housing Affordability and Economic Growth
Decades of building housing on the fringes of metropolitan areas have mired the United States in a housing affordability crisis defined by a widening gap between the haves and the have nots.
Can L.A. Accomplish Affordability with 'Housing Plus, Plus, Plus'?
Alfred Fraijo Jr., partner at Sheppard Mullin, shares frustration with what he sees as a state inaction on housing and L.A.'s legacy of piecemeal planning and outdated zoning.
Lawyers Taking the Single-Family Zoning Fight to a Connecticut Town
Open Communities Alliance, along with law students and professors at a fair housing development clinic at Yale Law School, have proposed a development meant to trigger the exclusionary zoning code in the town of Woodbridge, Connecticut.
An Academic Debate With Very Real Consequences: Land Use Regulations and the Cost of Housing
An article from the journal Urban Studies is inspiring debate and controversy over a year after publication, presenting opposing opinions on fundamental questions about how land use regulation affects the housing market.
Covid-19 Outdoor Dining Rules Could Last Through 2021 in Philadelphia
Emergency outdoor dining regulations approved in June and set to expired in December could now be extended through the coming year.
Houston Lacks Zoning—Or Does It? The State Supreme Court Will Decide
A lawsuit argues that Houston's Historic Preservation Ordinance is a form of de facto land use control, equivalent to zoning, which isn't allowed by state and local laws.
Marohn: End Single-Family Zoning
A prominent conservative voice in the urban planning debate makes the case for repealing the single-family zoning status quo.
President Trump Stirs the Fair Housing Pot, Again
In a move probably made to appeal to suburban voters in an election year, President Trump sent a late night tweet claiming that the Obama-era Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule is having a 'devastating impact' on suburbs.
What Is Land Use?
Land use might seem self explanatory, but it has a very specific meaning in the context of U.S. planning history.
Minimum Parking Requirements Lifted to Support Outdoor Dining in Connecticut
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont included an historic measure in a May 10 executive order: statewide suspension of parking minimums to facilitate outdoor activities.
Reforming Local Development Regulations for Sustainable Megaregions
Managing development at the scale of megaregions is possible. An excerpt from the recently published book, "Designing for the Megaregion: Meeting Urban Challenges at a New Scale," written by Jonathan Barnett, explains how.
Airbnb, Denver Struggle to Find Common Ground
Where other cities have found common ground with Airbnb and the short-term rental industry, Denver's negotiations toward regulations have continued since 2018 with little to show for the effort.
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.
City of Santa Clarita
Ascent Environmental
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
