Housing and Urban Issues
Stresses on urban communities continue to affect housing, food security, child services, homelessness, business development and crime. Coverage includes stories about new solutions to how cities are run, how they develop as urban centers and about the people who live there.
A new report shows housing costs increasingly out of reach for Houstonians. Black homeownership shrank by the biggest margin on record.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition released its first national renters survey, asking renters about the challenges of finding and keeping affordable homes.
The risk of being victimized on a train or a bus is low, but riders’ fears are something transit systems need to take seriously.
Urban planners see an opportunity to transform downtowns from business districts into vibrant mixed-use hubs that are active beyond the workday.
A new analysis from the Urban Institute finds only 10 percent of American homes are located within half a mile of frequent public transit service, with significant variation from place to place.
A Housing and Urban Development report awaited since December shows homeless numbers went down for the first time since 2016.
A new proposal from Gov. Ron DeSantis would shift billions in local government revenue and reshape how cities and counties fund core services.
A sharp decline in international migration slowed population growth in 48 states, underscoring how dependent many states have become on migration to sustain growth.
The race for California insurance commissioner is attracting new attention, new money, and a range of policy ideas as increasingly frequent disasters have shaken up the insurance industry.
Median asking rent is down from a peak in 2022, according to a null report. Some cities are still seeing year-over-year rent increases.
New cases are highlighting confusion over compliance and the practical realities of implementing the state’s landmark housing law.
As Atlanta’s mayor puts it, a strategy for everything “means you have a strategy of nothing.”
State zoning reforms to remove barriers to factory-built homes have done little to close the housing gap. There are steps state and federal policymakers should take to boost this affordable option.
Pennsylvania leaders say the state’s housing shortage is becoming a major economic threat.
San Francisco is benefiting from an AI boom while Los Angeles grapples with population decline and a struggling Hollywood.
Districts are experimenting with safe parking programs as student homelessness continues to rise.
Local leaders are testing new strategies to revive downtowns as office vacancies threaten tax bases.
Its success reflects a combination of consistent public investment and cultural seriousness about the obligation to care for people.
The debate over how to classify fast-changing communities has major implications for planning and public policy.
City data shows encampments often return within days, even as enforcement and cleanup efforts intensify.
The median rent has dropped in Austin over the last few years following a boom in housing construction. But the city also had a substantial spike in evictions last year.
Idaho has a new set of state laws meant to ease the growing burden of housing costs. And they work by limiting the control of local governments.
Local leaders are investing in new homes to attract residents and sustain long-term growth.
Roadways that were designed to move commuters at breakneck speed are dangerous and hamper business. Starting with a hard look at one-way streets, cities are trying to turn their thoroughfares back into something more than speedways.
A new report finds that, over the last 10 years, costs have risen in the Evergreen State faster than any other.
A recent report from the Urban Institute examined zoning policies from New York and Philadelphia, finding that upzoning had the potential to create more housing units.
City leaders are expanding outreach and incentives as disparities persist despite years of housing initiatives.
With funding ending years early, local officials are scrambling to prevent a surge in homelessness.
After a temporary slowdown during immigration crackdowns, filings are rising again as rental aid dries up and economic pressures persist.
Updated rules permit some plants within a five-foot buffer of homes in fire-prone areas. Residents have accepted the rules after months of pushback on the old regulations.
More and more, cities are paying hefty fees for private attorneys to take big businesses to court. In the end, though, they’re making life more costly for their residents.
