2026January
"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.
...More"Hand-drawn map of the hills is Berkeley tattoo artist’s ‘love letter’ to her new home"
After moving here from San Jose, illustrator Danielle Hopkins got advice from her cartographer partner and created a playful pictorial map of the Berkeley Hills and its pathways.
...More"Preliminary Application For 1130 Oxford Street, Berkeley"
Preliminary permits have been filed for new housing at the former Oxford Elementary School campus in Northbrae, Berkeley. The property at 1130 Oxford Street has been vacant since a 2020 study identified structural earthquake vulnerability. Panoramic Interests is responsible for the application, having purchased the lot from the Berkeley School District for $3 million last October.
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