Upzoning

Aerial view of Reno, Nevada with homes in foreground and downtown buildings in background during autumn.

Reno Revisits Zoning Reform

After roundly rejecting a proposal to legalize granny flats in 2018, the city council is revising it and other zoning reform proposals that could increase the city’s affordable housing supply.

November 3, 2023 - Fox Reno

St. Paul skyline as seen from across river

St. Paul Approves Zoning Reforms

The zoning updates will permit multi-unit housing and promote transit-oriented development to boost the city’s housing supply.

October 20, 2023 - Pioneer Press

View of Alexandria, Virginia with brick three-story townhomes on Potomac River bank.

Alexandria Residents Weigh in on Zoning Reform

The city’s proposed ‘Zoning for Housing’ is drawing criticism from multiple sides.

October 15, 2023 - DCist

New York City skyline with Empire State Building in center and blue cloudy sky.

Will New York ‘City of Yes’ Proposal Make an Impact?

Some housing experts say the rezoning plan is not nearly ambitious enough to make a dent in the city’s housing crisis.

October 9, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of downtown Seattle with Space Needle and mountains in background

Seattle Passes Downtown Zoning Reforms

The changes, part of the mayor’s Downtown Activation Plan, make way for more residential development in the city’s downtown core.

October 2, 2023 - The Urbanist

Aerial view of white homes and buildings in Clarksburg, Maryland.

Opinion: After Rent Stabilization, More Action Needed to Make Housing Affordable

Montgomery County just passed a slew of regulatory and legislative changes aimed at improving affordable housing. One writer suggests several more.

September 28, 2023 - Greater Greater Washington

Nighttime view of Sacramento River with Tower Bridge and Sacramento skyline.

ADU Permits Spike in Sacramento County

Backyard cottages, known as accessory dwelling units, are touted as one solution to the rising cost of housing.

September 14, 2023 - KCRA

Teal and blue two-story houses in Seattle's historic Queen Anne neighborhood

Opinion: Form-Based Codes Could Harm Seattle’s Housing Affordability

Form-based zoning codes can encourage mixed-use development and walkable neighborhoods, but focusing too much on aesthetic elements can drive up the cost of housing.

July 27, 2023 - The Urbanist

Aerial view of large single-family homes in Vancouver, BC suburb

Vancouver Poised to Increase Residential Zoning

The city council will vote on a proposal to eliminate single-family only zoning in favor of rules that would allow up to six units per residential lot.

July 26, 2023 - The Globe and Mail

Small gray backyard cottage with glass door and bike sitting in front of it

ADU Demand Grows Across the West Coast

In communities from California to Washington, permit applications for accessory dwelling units outpace the ability of permitting and construction to keep pace.

July 14, 2023 - Cottage ADU

Aerial view from behind Texas State Capitol dome in Austin, Texas

Zoning Reform Proposed in Austin

Proposed changes would create more room for mid-density housing and shift away from single-family homes on large lots.

July 13, 2023 - Towers

Dusk view of downtown Edmonton, Canada skyline with arched white bridge in foreground

Edmonton to Revise Zoning Code

Proposed changes could help spur more housing development in the Canadian city and encourage density increases in residential neighborhoods.

June 29, 2023 - Edmonton Journal

Aerial view of graded dirt lot ready for construction and houses with mountains in background near Boise, Idaho

Boise Approves First Zoning Code Update in 60 Years

A comprehensive update of the city’s zoning code aimed at making housing more affordable and promoting sustainable growth received unanimous support from the city council.

June 18, 2023 - Boise Dev

Zoning Code Rendering

Where Permissive Zoning Codes Slowed Rent Growth

Recent analysis from the Pew Research Center identifies more support for zoning reform as a tool for maintaining the affordability of rental housing in U.S. cities.

May 15, 2023 - Pew Research Center

Texas Capitol Building

Bill Legalizing ADUs Passes Texas Senate

If passed by the full state legislature, the bill would eliminate local restrictions on ‘mother-in-law’ units.

May 1, 2023 - FOX 4 News

View of houses on small street in Raleigh, North Carolina against a sunset sky

North Carolina’s Triangle Faces Growing Pains

The region’s rapid growth and high housing costs are prompting a contentious debate over zoning changes that would boost density.

April 27, 2023 - Axios

Curvy street lined with houses in Issaquah Highlands outside Seattle, Washington

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.’

April 26, 2023 - The Seattle Times

Aerial view at dusk of downtown Austin, Texas with river in foreground

New Zoning Category Proposed in Austin

The ‘town zoning’ category would create more flexibility and encourage developers to build more affordable, transit-oriented housing.

April 24, 2023 - Austin Business Journal

Seattle Apartments

Cities Need More Family-Oriented Housing

For many young families, it’s simply impossible to find affordable housing in cities, leading them to the suburbs not by choice, but by necessity.

April 24, 2023 - Vox

Gainesville, Florida skyline with tall water tower against cloudy sunset sky

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.

April 21, 2023 - WUFT

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