2026
"City Council approves 8-story North Shattuck housing proposal"
Some nearby residents wanted to block the 110-unit apartment complex, calling it a ‘behemoth’ and ‘monstrosity.’ But council members said they want more housing in North Berkeley.
...More"Downtowns are dying, but we know how to save them"
For decades, Los Angeles business and political figures have focused their attention on creating a sleek, vibrant downtown. The common thought, as the late Eli Broad suggested, has been, “a great city needs a great downtown.”
...More"Letters to Editor: All Housing Needed"
Regarding “If S.F. Mayor Lurie wants affordability, he should stop taxing new homes at the same rate as cigarettes” (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, Jan. 27): I am a retired professor of city planning and an affordable housing expert. I have a few questions about these proposals.
...More"How a Cambridge developer’s lawsuit could unravel an affordable housing policy"
A lawsuit filed last month by a longtime Cambridge developer could upend the way Massachusetts builds affordable housing.
Lawyers for Patrick Barrett are suing the city in the state’s Land Court over its requirement that 20% of the space in major housing developments include affordable units, a policy known as “inclusionary zoning.”
...More"How Trump Could Actually Fix Housing Market"
Washington needs to unlock capital through deregulation.
...More"Why even “luxury” housing improves overall affordability"
One of the common criticisms of new housing is that it’s designed for rich people and that it does nothing to help the housing situation of average citizens. The YIMBY response to this is, “Well, yes, it does actually, because supply eases overall housing pressures and because of the filtering effect.”
...More"Ontario proposes to pause Inclusionary Zoning policy in three municipalities"
Oh boy, have we spoken a lot about inclusionary zoning over the years (see here, here, and the full list of 43 posts that I have tagged with “inclusionary zoning” here). Politicians tend to like this policy because they can present it as no-cost or “free” affordable housing. Few people have much sympathy for real estate developers, so it’s easy to just say, “Don’t worry, we’ll just get the developers to pay for it.”
...More"Sydney’s so-called housing “crisis”"
My grandmother and her nine siblings grew up in a two-bedroom apartment. At the peak, twelve people, two bedrooms, six people per bedroom. That is a housing crisis. Maybe your elders lived something like that too. Maybe you do.
...More"Defying a nationwide trend, UC Berkeley enrolled more new international students this year"
The university also welcomed more California residents, enrolling its largest-ever student body.
...More"Sometimes architecture is irrelevant"
Tokyo is a city of contrasts. It is both hyper-modern and steeped in tradition. It is known for art, architecture, design, and fashion, yet it’s also a city that — through its built form — makes the argument that architecture is irrelevant.
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