Housing Affordability Crisis
Quantifying the Potential of California’s ‘Yes in God’s Backyard’ Bill
A new report estimates that 171,000 acres of land would be available for housing development if California approves SB 4, Affordable Housing on Faith and Higher Education Lands Act of 2023.
Austin’s ‘Affordability Unlocked’ Initiative Faces Lawsuit
A group of 18 plaintiffs is suing to overturn the city of Austin’s “Affordability Unlocked” planning initiative.
Iowa City Hopes Zoning Amendments Will Increase Housing Supply, Diversity
Iowa City is planning ahead to ensure that housing supply keeps up with housing demand.
Kingston, New York Goes 100 Percent Form-Based for its New Code
Kingston recently adopted a form-based code, taking the rare step to entirely replace its old zoning code with form-based standards while also repealing parking requirements and allowing accessory dwelling units and missing middle housing.
What Happened to the Tiny Homes Revolution?
Tiny homes were one of the hot button topics of the previous decade. In 2023? Not so much.
Missing Middle Housing Reforms Coming to East Tennessee
With the cost of housing around Knoxville, Tennessee rising, elected officials and political candidates are looking for new ways to allow residential density.
The ‘Lock-In Effect’ Keeping Home Prices High
Housing prices dropped slightly last year, but first-time and middle-income buyers found little price relief due to the “lock-in effect” of the historically low interest rates in effect for more than a decade prior to 2022.
Rent Control Approved for Montgomery County
The Montgomery County Council has approved a new law that sets limits on how much landlords can raise rents from year to year.
New Haven Housing Authority Proposes Zoning Reforms, Land Tax
While the Connecticut State Legislature stalls on zoning reform, a local housing authority in the state is recommending an ambitious package of pro-development, supply-side policy changes to mitigate the cost of housing in the state.
Hawaii Governor Wipes Away Regulatory Barriers to Housing With the Stroke of a Pen
The governor of Hawaii is using emergency powers to remove barriers to housing construction.
Cincinnati First City in Ohio to Legalize Accessory Dwelling Units
The Queen City achieved an historic day for planning in the state of Ohio.
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.
Lack of Multi-Family Zones Contributes to Nashville’s High Housing Costs, Study Says
Nashville and surrounding communities allow for a relatively small amount of multi-family housing, according to a new zoning atlas of Middle Tennessee. A regionally focused nonprofit is using the atlas to push for zoning reforms.
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.
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.
Florida Law Bans Rent Control Statewide
The DeSantis administration has a signature housing bill. Florida has $711 million in funding for housing programs. Local governments have less power over zoning.
British Columbia Commits to New Housing Supply
The 2023 budget for the province of British Columbia reveals a deep commitment to supporting the creation of new housing.
Housing Reform Package Under Consideration by Rhode Island General Assembly
The Rhode Island House Speaker has introduced a package of 14 bills intended to ease housing construction without stepping on any toes at the local level.
Low Pay, High Housing Costs: Not a Good Equation for Teachers
The rising cost of housing, along with the pandemic, has transformed the lack of housing affordable to teachers in expensive parts of California from bad to worse. Solutions so far only address half the problem or don’t go far enough.
What Is Rent Control?
Rent control, also known as rent stabilization, is a controversial policy tool used by the government to limit rent increases by landlords.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
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.
