Single-Family Zoning

Albuquerque Poised to Legalize Accessory Dwelling Units
Allowing ADU construction on parcels previously zoned exclusively for single-family detached housing is one component of the Housing Forward ABQ initiative, a larger effort to reform zoning practices in Albuquerque.

Minneapolis to Begin Environmental Review in Response to 2040 Plan Lawsuit
After environmental groups sought to stop the city’s ambitious comprehensive plan, Minneapolis is looking for ways to resume its implementation.

Vermont Next State in Line to End Single-Family Zoning, Ease Parking Requirements
Both houses in the Vermont Legislature have approved legislation to preempt local land use regulations by rescinding single-family zoning and easing parking requirements throughout the state.

Mitigating the Environmental Footprint of Sprawl
There is still time to reverse the environmental outcomes of American suburbs. Researchers in Los Angeles, considered by many to be the poster child for U.S. sprawl, have been at work on the problem for years.

Landmark Land Use Bill Fails in Colorado Legislature
Colorado Governor Jared Polis’s effort to allow for more housing construction by preempting local control of zoning failed to achieve the required level of political support in the state legislature.

Wealthy Washington Neighborhoods Could Remain Untouched by Zoning Reforms
Neighborhoods with preexisting internal contracts are exempted from new legislation requiring all Washington cities to permit duplexes and other ‘missing middle housing.’

Gainesville Reverses Zoning Reforms, Reinstates Single-Family Zoning
The Florida city will be the first in the country to rescing zoning changes that would have created opportunities for a wider variety of housing options in residential neighborhoods.

‘Missing Middle Housing’ Bill Passes in Washington Senate
The legislation would permit duplexes and, in some cases, fourplexes in residential areas in most Washington towns.

Colorado Mountain Communities Line Up to Oppose Statewide Zoning Reforms
State preemption isn’t going over well with local government officials in the remote corners of Colorado.

The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.

Arlington ‘Missing Middle Housing’ Plan Faces Scrutiny
A proposal to legalize more housing types in northeastern Virginia has prompted vigorous debate among stakeholders.

Washington Could Legalize Multifamily Housing
A bill legalizing duplexes and fourplexes in most of the state’s residential neighborhoods passed the state House on Monday.

How Single-Family Zoning Became Unaffordable for Families
Zoning regulations designed to boost the housing supply for families have contributed to a housing crisis that makes housing costs a major burden for many American families.

Decatur Moves Closer to Legalizing Duplexes, ‘Missing Middle Housing’
A proposal to permit multifamily housing units in areas previously zoned for single-family homes passed its first hurdle, but requires a second vote to go into effect.

Zoning Has Support for Sprawl: Subdivision, Covenants, and Mortgages
Zoning codes are not the only kind of land use control that has built the U.S. residential market on the suburban model for more than a century, according to a recent article in The Urbanist.

Is Sprawl the Only Answer to High Housing Costs?
A recent article argues that sprawl is the solution to high housing costs, pointing out that low-density Sunbelt cities are more affordable than some more compact metro areas. What's wrong with this argument?

The Role of Language in the Battle Over Zoning Reform
Missing middle housing? Ending single-family zoning? How language impacts public opinion in the movement to increase housing density.

Aging and the Housing Market
When wanting to downsize their living situation, some older Americans are startled to find a dearth of smaller housing units in their neighborhoods.

Housing Density Dividing Voters in Arlington County
The race for the county’s only board seat pits proponents of ‘missing middle housing and higher density against residents concerned about outsized growth.

The Consequences of Sprawl: Overcrowded Housing and Covid Deaths
Los Angeles is the nation's capital of both crowding and sprawl. A feature published by the Los Angeles Times provides the history of how the metropolis achieved this contradiction.
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