Housing

Digital Atlas Could Reveal Zoning's Social Impact

An initiative to map out states’ zoning codes could help policymakers and citizens address urgent challenges in their communities.

  • By Molly Bolan

How Building More 'Granny Flats' Can Help Alleviate the Housing Crisis

COMMENTARY | Recent trends—working from home, aging in place and an expensive housing market—demand housing types that are not readily available in a market dominated by single-family housing.

  • By Jeff Kruth and Murali Paranandi, The Conversation

Republican Governors Urge Biden to Rescind New Mortgage Rule

The 18 governors argue that changes to mortgage fees for federally backed loans meant to improve housing affordability actually hurts the housing system.

  • By Molly Bolan

Debt Limit Talks Dim Prospects for Addressing Nation’s Housing Crisis

The president has proposed freezing spending, which could impact additional funding for housing, public health and transit projects.

  • By Kery Murakami

Funding for Rental Assistance is Ending, But Need Continues

Some states are working to develop programs that will pick up where pandemic-era programs are leaving off.

  • By Molly Bolan

New Initiative Will Help Cities Reduce Homelessness

The program will “embed” federal officials in six cities to help local officials get people off the streets and into homes more quickly.

  • By Molly Bolan

Did Your Town Make This List of Best-Performing Cities?

The Milken Institute is out with its annual report ranking the economic performance of more than 400 metropolitan areas. Here’s what it takes to be a booming city.

  • By Molly Bolan

Will States Force Localities to Build Affordable Housing?

The need for more housing in America is undeniable. But with localities unlikely to change zoning laws to create more, states are stepping in.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Billions in Loans and Grants to Make Multifamily Homes Energy Efficient

Incentives for green retrofitting often target individual homeowners. A new federal program will fund energy-efficient and climate-resilient upgrades in multifamily homes, which can improve the quality of life of historically underserved populations.

  • By Molly Bolan

The Complications of Land-Use Reform

Colorado needs more homes. Research shows land-use reforms typically result in just that. So why did a massive land-use bill die in the state Senate this week?

  • By Molly Bolan

States Take Up Bills to Confront Youth Homelessness

From couch surfing to living in the streets, it is easy to overlook young people experiencing homelessness. That’s changing.

  • By Molly Bolan

Fast-Growing Cities and States Experience Growing Pains

Finding enough affordable housing and providing services are two of the top challenges that come with rising population growth.

  • By Rachel Gottlieb
Featured eBooks
Road and Transit Infrastructure Trends
Federal Recovery Funds at the State and Local Level
Infrastructure at a Turning Point

City’s ‘Displacement Prevention Navigators’ Aim to Help Neighbors Remain in Homes

Austin, Texas, will train city residents to help people find the resources they need to stay in their homes when rents and property taxes rise.

  • By Molly Bolan

Converting Offices to Housing Is Hard. These Changes Could Make It Easier

Last year, office vacancy rates approached a 30-year high of 17.1%.

  • By Erika Bolstad, Stateline

Is Land-Use Reform the Missing Tool in Combating Climate Change?

A new report argues that rezoning for more mixed-use and transit-oriented developments could significantly reduce carbon emissions and help meet global climate goals.

  • By Molly Bolan

Housing Permits Dip for First Time in a Decade

The slowdown could impact state and city efforts to increase the number of affordable homes.

  • By Molly Bolan

Do Zoning Reforms Benefit Renters?

A new study suggests updated land-use regulations are slow to help low-income households.

  • By Molly Bolan

How to Make Office-to-Housing Conversions Work

A panel of experts looked at what it would take to revitalize downtowns by turning offices into homes. They coalesced around five things cities need to do to succeed.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau

Old Zoning Laws Share Blame For Housing Shortage

A new report highlights zoning strategies that cities can adopt to bolster housing development equitably and sustainably, including overhauling single-family regulations.

  • By Molly Bolan

‘Housing Catalogs’ Make a Comeback

Once popular in the 1950s, pre-approved housing designs are back and helping cities build homes that aesthetically align with existing homes.

  • By Molly Bolan

Low-Income Renters Continue to Be Hit Hardest By Housing Shortage

A new report finds that no state has an adequate supply of affordable rental housing. Governments, it suggests, must create incentives for developers to build affordable units.

  • By Molly Bolan