NIMBYs
Op-Ed: Let's Build Homes, Not Ideology
Knee-jerk, ideological reactions to the California housing crisis rest on faulty arguments and threaten to cheat the state out of workable solutions.
Why We Need a Better Definition for NIMBY
It's possible that the ill effects of NIMBY obstructionism are enabled by a lack of understanding about how and why NIMBYism works.
Millennial-Focused TOD Proposal Overcomes Opposition in Aurora, CO
Aurora, Colorado recently approved a large, transit-adjacent project designed to appeal to a younger set than is currently living in the city. Some entrenched interests were not happy with the decision.
NIMBYs at Center of California's Housing Shortage
Sacramento Bee's political columnist, Dan Walters, writes that NIMBYs are among the main reasons for the state's chronic housing crisis, and one of their main tools is the California Environmental Quality Act, which must be reformed by politicians.
A New Jersey Town Comes Undone Over Affordable Housing
Faced with a court ordered requirement to provide its fair share of affordable housing, one New Jersey town's residents have lashed out with some anti-Semitic overtones against plans for a new development.
Are YIMBYs a Silent Majority?
While NIMBYs make a lot of noise and a lot of news, could it be that support outweighs opposition when it comes to development? Some residents in Bethesda, Maryland think so.
A National Consensus on Zoning? Not So Fast
The issue of zoning might be a place for wonks of both the conservatives and the liberal variety to find middle ground, but zoning in the real world is more contentious than consensus.
Which Fears Are Blocking Solutions in Your City?
A former planning commissioner recalls often being surprised at the passion and anger displayed toward small changes around the city of San Francisco, and attempted to get to the nature of the fear driving the opposition.
Development Debate Draws Political Lines in Massachusetts
A Boston Globe columnist comes down strongly in favor of a mixed-use project in a Boston suburb, and laments the obstacles facing smart growth in this and other, similar, communities.
Friday Funny: Common Anti-Development Complaints, Explained With Cat GIFs
The more project proposals change, the more the opposition stays the same—right?
'Neighborhood Integrity Initiative' Would Put Plan Amendments to a Vote in L.A.
A group of activists calling themselves the Coalition to Preserve L.A. has announced initiations to seek a ballot initiative that would enact a moratorium on projects requiring changes to the city's General Plan.
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.
One Expert's Response to Misinformation from Bike Lane Opponents
Swatting down untruths and misinformation by bike lane opponents in St. Paul doesn't require a PhD, but it helps.
When a Summer Resort Town Finds Year-Round Success
Northern Michigan's "premier summer resort town" finds itself embroiled in a heated development controversy, reflecting that town's changing population.
California Governor Jerry Brown Pessimistic on Affordability
Housing often costs a literal fortune in California, and Governor Jerry Brown doesn't see an easy fix. Demand to live in the state is high, but there are local factors at work impeding housing construction.
Drastic Ballot Box Zoning Measure Under Consideration in Boulder
Voters in the Colorado town of Boulder will consider a city charter amendment that would assign land use regulation power to 66 neighborhood-level voting districts.
Pushing Back Against the Idea that Cities Can Become Full
The perception that a city has reached its maximum population and nobody else should be allowed in, or nothing should be allowed to change, is limiting the potential of our cities and increasing housing inequality.
Crises and Innovation Converge on San Francisco Planning Director John Rahaim's Watch
The latest installment of the Planners Across America series interviews John Rahaim, planning director for the City and County of San Francisco, about the heightened passions and perpetual controversies of planning in the City by the Bay.
Santa Monica Nixes Mixed-Use Development in Favor of Suburban-Style Office Park
A hotly contested development in the coastal enclave of Santa Monica, CA—soon to be blessed with light rail access to the rest of the region—has produced less-than-ambitious results.
Escaping the Cycle of Inflated Housing Costs
In an insightful article, William Fulton unpacks the supply-demand cycle driving costs skyward in certain areas. To address the problem, new construction needs an unprecedented level of diversity.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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
