Zoning

Bird's eye view of large apartment complex under construction next to four-lane road near Atlanta, Georgia.

How Atlanta Built 7,000 Housing Units in 3 Years

The city’s comprehensive, neighborhood-focused housing strategy focuses on identifying properties and land that can be repurposed for housing and encouraging development in underserved neighborhoods.

April 9, 2025 - Governing

View of rotating restaurant tower in downtown San Antonio, Texas through older brick high-rise buildings.

San Antonio Remains Affordable as City Grows

The city’s active efforts to keep housing costs down through housing reforms and coordinated efforts among city agencies and developers have kept it one of the most affordable in the nation despite its rapid population growth.

April 3, 2025 - Governing

Red crane in foreground with New York City skyline in background.

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.

March 30, 2025 - New York Post

Aerial view of large suburban homes on small lake in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

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.

March 26, 2025 - Asbury Park Press

Light rail train passing under apartments in Pasadena, California

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.

March 18, 2025 - Streetsblog California

Small white wooden church at edge of large concrete lot with rolling hills or golf course in background.

The YIGBY Movement: Unlocking Church-Owned Land for Affordable Housing

As the housing crisis deepens, interest in faith-based development is spreading across the country. How do YIGBY zoning laws work, where are they being implemented or introduced, and what could it mean for communities and churches?

March 18, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Historic homes in St. Augustine, Florida.

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs

Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

March 18, 2025 - Newsweek

View of buildings of various heights and styles in New York City.

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.

March 11, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Colorful rowhouses in Washington, D.C.

DC Residents Want Affordability Over ‘Character’

A poll finds that most residents want to see changes in zoning and land use laws that unlock more housing construction in the District and improve affordability.

February 26, 2025 - Greater Greater Washington

An overhead image of a large wooden building as it's being constructed.

California’s Housing Laws Yielding Disappointing Results

A relatively few number of new units are being built as a result of new laws aimed at boosting the housing supply.

February 25, 2025 - CALmatters

Fort Mill, South Carolina: Kingsley Town Center. Mixed use development of repurposed textile mill with smokestack and streets "Textile Way" and "Broadcloth Street."

Rethinking Suburban Development: New Trends in Creating Livable Communities

Discover new trends in suburban development focused on creating more livable, sustainable communities for future growth.

February 17, 2025 - Devin Partida

Aerial view of old buildings and government or church building with tall roof in Annapolis, Maryland.

Commentary: We Need a Return to the Adaptability of Traditional Urban Form

How the rigidity of modern suburban development fails to prepare cities for the future.

February 17, 2025 - Strong Towns

Crane and construction on multi-story buildings in downtown Houston, Texas.

How Houston Can Be a Model for Housing Reform

The city builds more new housing than almost any other and has dramatically reduced homelessness, yet low-income families struggle to find affordable housing.

February 12, 2025 - Urban Edge

Church with tall steeple in rural Colorado.

Colorado Bill Would Legalize Housing ‘In God’s Backyard’

Churches and religious institutions around the country are calling for zoning reforms that would allow them to build housing on their underused properties.

February 10, 2025 - The Colorado Sun

Neoclassical United States Treasury building in Washington, D.C.

January Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month

How a tidal wave of potential changes at the federal level could throw many programs planners depend on into chaos, a roundup of last year’s zoning stories, and the continuing ripple effects of a landmark Supreme Court case.

February 6, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Homes in rural area with snowy Mt. Rainier in background in Washington state.

Washington State Bills Would Boost Housing in Rural Areas

Several proposed laws could make way for more housing development outside the state’s major city centers.

January 29, 2025 - Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

Small home with For Sale sign on green lawn.

Home Prices Continue to Rise Across the Nation

The pandemic’s effects continue to impact housing markets, with formerly affordable cities seeing a steep rise in housing costs.

January 27, 2025 - The New York Post

Downtown Austin, Texas skyline with cranes on a sunny day.

Austin Rents Fall for 19th Straight Month

Thanks to a construction boom, the city is no longer the most expensive housing market in Texas.

January 27, 2025 - Governing

View up at high-rise buildings in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

Midtown Manhattan Rezoning Proposal Could Yield Almost 10,000 Housing Units

A plan to alter zoning for parts of Midtown would permit new housing and make it easier to convert office buildings to residential units.

January 22, 2025 - The New York Times

Front of White House with stormy sky above.

How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning

An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.

January 19, 2025 - Planetizen

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

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