Renters

Tenants Rights

More Cities Supporting Legal Counsel as a Right for All Renters

Cities, headlined by New York, are finding new ways to support renters facing eviction.

September 1, 2017 - The Nation

Affordable Housing

'CarsonWatch': New Housing Justice Coalition Fights Trump Agenda

National organizations are mobilizing around housing as a human right.

August 11, 2017 - Right to the City

Leave it to beaver house

How American Homeownership Fosters Inequality

Matthew Desmond, author of "Evicted," looks at the lives of Americans across the economic spectrum to gain insight into how homeownership, mainly through the mortgage tax deduction, keeps the U.S. unequal.

May 31, 2017 - The New York Times

Apartment renter

Rents and Inequity Rising Together

U.S. landlords are getting a bigger share of the economic pie than they ever have before, according to new government data.

May 10, 2017 - Market Watch

McMansion

Housing Assistance for the Rich

The federal government forgoes around $90 billion a year in revenue for the home interest rate deduction, and the biggest beneficiaries are millionaires.

April 26, 2017 - Greater Greater Washington

Seattle Apartments

Seattle Considering a First-Ever Renters' Commission

In Seattle, about 54 percent of the households rent their homes, but they have few places to collectively voice their opinions on critical matters like rent control, move-in fees, and transit. Some city councilmembers hope to change that, however.

February 26, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Newport Beach

Parking Permits Cause Tension in SoCal Neighborhoods

Renters and homeowners are competing for permit districts in some Southern California cities.

February 24, 2017 - KPCC

Dart Board

Zoning: A Public Service Announcement

A public service announcement on behalf of renters priced out of the housing market: "Talk to your friends about zoning."

February 14, 2017 - Slate

Not in my back yard

Unveiling Renters' Hidden NIMBYism

This research shows that renters in high-cost cities can be just as prone to NIMBYism as homeowners, even as they theoretically support more housing. This is housing supply's collective action problem.

February 13, 2017 - Joint Center for Housing Studies

Small-Scale Apartment

This Start-Up Takes (Some) of the Hassle Out of Renting

Entrepreneur Tyrone Poole's Oregon start-up matches prospective tenants with rental units they qualify for, eliminating legwork and application fees.

February 3, 2017 - CityLab

Home For Sale Signs

As Homeownership Slips, So Do Expectations

For an "entitled generation," Millennials feel less and less entitled to one of the hallmarks of the American Dream: homeownership. But that doesn't mean the goal is permanently out of reach.

February 2, 2017 - HousingWire

East Berlin

What Happened When Berlin Tried Rent Control?

Enacted in 2015, Berlin's "Mietpreisbremse" ordinance limits rent increases on some (but not all) apartments. According to this study, results have not been ideal.

December 3, 2016 - City Observatory

Home For Sale Signs

A Case Against Homeownership

Against all odds, both political parties agree on at least one thing: the merits of homeownership. But is buying a home really such a great investment, even for the well-off?

September 29, 2016 - Market Urbanism

Eviction

Study Opens Doors to Better Eviction Data Nationwide

A survey of renters' housing history in Milwaukee could completely change what we know about eviction in the United States.

September 29, 2016 - FiveThirtyEight

Home For Sale Signs

U.S. Homeownership Rate Lowest Since 1965

A confluence of economic and demographic factors means fewer Americans own homes than at any time since 1965.

July 29, 2016 - Bloomberg

Apartments for rent signage

Op-Ed: We Shouldn't Rush to Regulate Airbnb

Is Airbnb a prime target for regulation, or is it just another way to expand the marketplace for bedrooms? Dan Bertolet urges caution. After all, couldn't less Airbnb just mean more hotels?

July 11, 2016 - Sightline Institute

Apartment renter

Housing Market 2016 in a Best of Times, Worst of Times Moment

The story of the U.S. housing market is the story of growing inequality.

June 23, 2016 - Associated Press via Chicago Tribune

Eviction

Oakland Approves 90-Day Moratorium on Evictions

Taking steps to prevent Oakland from becoming the next San Francisco, the East Bay city passed a 90-day moratorium on certain kinds of evictions.

April 22, 2016 - The Guardian

How Oakland Is Tackling Its Housing Crisis

Just across the Bay Bridge from one of the most famous examples of a broken housing market, Oakland is working to keep up with the effects of housing demand.

March 18, 2016 - SPUR

Commuter Traffic

Census Data: Renters Have Shorter Commutes

According to an analysis by the data research team at Trulia, renters have shorter commutes in 43 of 50 major metros. But despite there being more renters, commutes are still getting longer.

March 4, 2016 - Trulia

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

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