Housing Crisis

Primary Image
Colorful "atx" sign in front of Whole Foods store in Austin, Texas

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.

August 30, 2023 - Austin Monitor

Colorful historic brownstones in New York City

Conversions Eliminated Over 100K Housing Units in New York City

Apartment-to-house conversions are contributing to a net loss of housing in some of the city’s historic neighborhoods.

August 28, 2023 - The City

Orange tent and bicycles belonging to unhoused people at Venice Beach, California

HUD Approves L.A. Housing Voucher Changes

The city requested changes to federal housing voucher approvals to streamline the approval process for people experiencing homelessness.

August 23, 2023 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Distant view of Lewiston, Idaho nestled in green hills against cloudy blue sky

The Housing Crisis Grows in Rural Idaho

The state’s smaller communities are feeling the pressure of sharply rising housing costs, stagnating wages, and an aging population.

August 15, 2023 - Boise Dev

View of wide green lawn in front of red brick four-story buildings on Harvard University campus

The Housing Crisis on U.S. College Campuses

Top universities are turning away thousands of eligible applicants, in part due to NIMBY resistance to building new student housing.

August 8, 2023 - Governing

Houston, Texas

Report: More Than Half of Harris County Households Cost-Burdened

Using a measurement that takes into account more factors in addition to housing costs, a new report from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research sheds light on the true crisis facing Houston-area renters.

July 31, 2023 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge

The exterior of the Hawaii state capitol building.

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.

July 23, 2023 - Honolulu Advertiser

Apartments for rent signage

Opinion: Rent Control Works

A dozen arguments for why rent control is effective and necessary in the current housing crisis.

July 23, 2023 - Jacobin

Four-story white L-shaoped apartment building with small parking lot in front in Edina, Minnesota

Nonprofit Affordable Housing Developers Navigate Troubled Waters

As housing and building costs rise, nonprofit developers find themselves with strained resources as pandemic relief dries up and tenants need housing assistance more than ever.

July 20, 2023 - Dr. Eric Anthony Johnson

Tent covered with tarp with bike and other objects on sidewalk in Skid Row, downtown Los Angeles

New Study Debunks Homeless Migration Theory

More evidence finds that the root cause of homelessness is, ultimately, a lack of sufficient housing.

July 19, 2023 - The Atlantic

View of houses and buildings in Portland, Maine

Maine Program Funds Rural Affordable Housing

Developers can access up to $185,000 per unit to build affordable multifamily rental housing in small towns.

July 16, 2023 - Next City

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

Aerial view of large houses in large yards surrounded by trees in Palo Alto, California

New Research Blames Affluent Suburbs for Housing Crisis

Small, often wealthy enclaves build far less multifamily housing than their larger counterparts, exacerbating the dearth of affordable housing near big cities and job centers.

July 12, 2023 - The Conversation

Multi-Family Housing

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.

June 6, 2023 - Axios Nashville

Nighttime view of Tacoma, Washington skyline

Tacoma Coalition Calls for ‘Tenants’ Bill of Rights’

The group wants to put more power in the hands of tenants, but the city has its own, competing proposal for addressing the housing crisis.

May 26, 2023 - The Urbanist

View of New York City apartment buildings.

Continuing the Fight for Housing in New York State

After the governor’s ambitious housing proposal failed to make headway in the state legislature, one lawyer argues Hochul should use executive power to move the needle forward on housing production.

May 14, 2023 - Gothamist

Colorado State Capitol Building

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.

May 11, 2023 - CPR News

California Houses

California Growth Report: Housing Up, Population Down

Good and bad news can be found in the most recent demographic report from the California Department of Finance. The population dropped by nearly 140,000 last year while housing grew at the highest rate in 14 years.

May 4, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Sprawl

Essay: Will America Ever Change its Urban Patterns?

If there has ever been a good time to change our urban patterns, the time is now.

April 30, 2023 - Marcelo Remond

An image of St. Paul, Minnesota and the Mississippi River at nightfall.

St. Paul Apartment Construction Slows; Rent Control Under Scrutiny

Apartment permits declined by 48 percent in the past year in St. Paul. The city’s voters approved one of the nation’s most aggressive rent stabilization ordinances in November 2021.

April 25, 2023 - Pioneer Press

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.