Land Use Management
What makes a city ideal for office-to-housing conversions?
It’s the state and local leaders who can work creatively with restrictive building codes and tax incentives, one expert says.
3 tips for short-term land-use planning
COMMENTARY | As populations grow and real estate requirements change, cities or counties should regularly evaluate their mix of land use designations so they get the kind of development they can live with long term.
Want to reform housing? Take a look at parking.
When a single parking space adds tens of thousands of dollars to a residential development, those costs get passed on to residents.
States increasingly join the land use reform rodeo
For a long time housing-related land use issues have been primarily dealt with at the local level, but that’s changing as a case in Montana shows.
Do land-use reforms spur housing development? You betcha.
After years of adjusting land-use regulations, Minneapolis boosted its housing stock by 12%, while rents grew at just 1%. Meanwhile, the rest of Minnesota increased its stock by 4% as rents rose 14%.
Austin will now allow more homes to be built on single-family lots
City officials hope that allowing up to three units per lot will increase supply and slow the explosive increase in housing costs. The measure was approved by Austin City Council in a 9-2 vote late Thursday night.
The housing policies residents want to see
It may seem like housing policies that allow granny flats or multifamily homes on single-family lots are pretty contentious, but a new survey shows that most people support state and local policies that boost housing stock.
Western states look to these lands for new affordable housing
State-owned trust lands were created to support schools and other community benefits.
How one city added hundreds of new homes amid an affordable housing crunch
In Missoula, Montana, the city and county government donated land to support the development of three new affordable apartment sites. About 1,000 people, including those who were previously homeless, have signed the interest list for units, one official says.
Indiana, other states increasingly restricting foreign land buys
Indiana was the only state to enact a law restricting certain foreign investments in its agricultural land in 2022, but more are taking action by blocking specific governments or political parties.
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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?
The Economic Hotspots Outside of Downtowns
Development in and around cities is different than it was a generation ago. New research looks at the emergence of “activity centers,” asset-rich hubs peppered throughout metro areas.
A Newly Empowered Federal Agency is Trying to Speed up Megaproject Permitting
The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council represents 13 federal agencies and oversees more than $100 billion worth of projects.
A Bike Advocate Mayor on a Mission to Create ‘People-oriented’ Streets
Emeryville, California Mayor John Bauters, who has gained notice for his punchy tweets about cycling and pedestrian issues, explains his broader vision for transforming the city.
Infrastructure Update: Local Concerns Muddy a FEMA Flood Insurance Overhaul
The Biden administration faces many tricky questions from states and localities as it tries to write rules to soften the blow of increasingly devastating floods.
The Plantation and the Pizza Hut: A Suburban County Reconsiders Its History
Fairfax County, Virginia wants to add unheard voices to its story. That will require changing the way it gathers and evaluates historical information.
Timber, Condos, Glamping? States Debate Land Use to Fund Schools
Some states are getting into the development business.
Northeast ‘Ghost Forests’ Multiply as Waters Rise
COMMENTARY | New research indicates two factors behind the emergence of “ghost forests” filled with dead trees along the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coast.
Trump Administration Wades Into Local Zoning Dispute, Backing a Church Over a Village
Christian Fellowship Centers of New York claims the local regulations are discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The Feds Are Driving A National Policy of Sprawl
COMMENTARY | "Any legislative or policymaking approach to climate that fails to see the connections between emissions, how and where we build, and our transportation infrastructure decisions, will be destined to fail."
