Upzoning

Lawsuit Aims to Stop NYC’s ‘City of Yes’ Zoning Reforms
A lawsuit brought by local lawmakers and community groups claims the plan failed to conduct a comprehensive environmental review.

New Jersey Affordable Housing Law Turns 50
The Mount Laurel Doctrine tasks each city and town with creating enough affordable housing to meet their needs, but half a century after its passage, the law still faces opposition in some parts of the state.

California Bill Aims to Boost TOD
A bill proposed by Sen. Scott Wiener would exempt transit agencies from zoning rules near ‘high-quality’ transit stops and allow denser transit-oriented development.

NYC Zoning Reform: Where Will It Have an Impact?
The zoning reform package dubbed ‘City of Yes’ will likely yield uneven results, with many of the lowest-density neighborhoods exempted from new regulations.

Analysis: Localized Upzoning Less Effective
Changing zoning rules for a small number of parcels can increase land values and housing costs without boosting the housing supply.

Portland, Maine to Revise Zoning Code
The ReCode initiative promotes more diverse housing types and reduces parking requirements, among other changes.

Birthplace of Single-Family Zoning Poised to Pass Upzoning Plan
Berkeley, California, pioneered exclusionary zoning in the early 1900s; with its new upzoning proposal, the city hopes to reverse that negative legacy and boost its housing supply by eliminating single-family zoning.

Cincinnati’s Controversial Zoning Plan Clears First Hurdle
The “Connected Communities” zoning plan aims to increase middle housing near transit and in Cincinnati neighborhoods’ business districts.

Burlington Approves Middle Housing Zoning Reform
The Vermont city will allow larger residential buildings and adjust other requirements to spur more ‘missing middle housing’ development.

Lawsuit Contests End of of Single-Family Zoning in Alexandria
The legal challenge is the latest filed against similar zoning reform efforts around the country.

Portland, Maine Embraces Zoning Reform for Multifamily Housing
The Portland City Council amended the land use code to allow up to four units on all residential lots on the mainland, and up to three on island lots. It also eliminated parking requirements for these uses.

Upzoning Affordability Impacts: The Latest Research
There are new controversies concerning how upzoning affects housing supply and affordability, and new research to help planners understand these issues.

Zoning Reform Faces Uphill Battle in Dallas
Proposals to boost housing production through ‘gentle density’ increases face strong opposition from residents concerned about losing single-family neighborhoods.

Texas Judge Reverses Three Austin Zoning Reforms
The ruling impacts ordinances passed in 2022 aimed at increasing housing density and supporting mixed-use development.

Will Salt Lake City’s Zoning Reforms Create More Affordable Housing?
The city’s new rules allow for more flexibility in housing development, but other market forces could limit production.

Austin Approves Upzoning
Combined with the recent decision to eliminate parking minimums, the move to end single-family zoning could help make housing more affordable.

North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park Could Upzone for Mixed-Use, Housing
A new proposal reimagines the primarily industrial and office-oriented area to a ‘15-minute city.’

Newton Passes Upzoning to Comply With MBTA Communities Act
The Massachusetts city will permit multifamily housing in some of its ‘village centers’ to comply with state law.

Sacramento Council Approves Upzoning Proposal
If given final approval, the plan would increase the allowable floor area ratio to permit denser housing development in single-family neighborhoods and near transit.

The Rise of Zoning Reform
As the housing affordability crisis spread from mainly coastal cities to the rest of the nation, cities and states are taking a serious look at outdated zoning codes that hamper efforts to build more housing.
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