Blogs

APA Leaders Advocate for Planners at World Urban Forum in Egypt (blog featured image)

November 15, 2024

APA Leaders Advocate for Planners at 12th World Urban Forum in Egypt

The American Planning Association joined with the international community November 4-8, 2024, in Cairo, Egypt, for the World Urban Forum’s (WUF) conference to exchange ideas and learn new ways to uplift and support planners at home and abroad.

Image of apartment buildings with blue sky

November 13, 2024

Three Ways a Lack of Workforce Housing Impacts Communities

The consequences for insufficient workforce housing are severe. Learn how planning advocates are fighting to secure federal support to improve local economies.

October 25, 2024

APA’s Upcoming International Learning Opportunities

APA’s ongoing international strategy aims to advocate for the planning profession and facilitate learning exchanges with our peers worldwide that will benefit APA members.

High Tides, Higher Stakes: Warren, Rhode Island’s Strategy to Keep its Residents Above Water (blog featured image)

October 21, 2024

Warren, Rhode Island, Planning Ahead For Rising Sea Levels

One of the smallest towns in the smallest state is set to get smaller with climate change, and planners in Warren, Rhode Island, are working on a managed retreat to prepare for it.

June 28, 2024

PRO Housing Grants Announced: New Federal Support for Local Zoning Reform

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announces the long-awaited Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO-Housing) grants.

Spokane’s Interim ADU Ordinance Allows City to Do 'Some Great Things’ (blog featured image)

June 26, 2024

Spokane's Interim Housing Ordinance Allowed City to Do 'Some Great Things'

The Building Opportunity and Choices for All interim ordinance adopted by Spokane in 2022 allowed for up to four housing units to be built on any residential lot.

May 14, 2024

Eagle, Colorado Goes to Bat for Affordable Housing Solutions

In the summer of 2021, Eagle staff ramped up their efforts to update the town’s zoning code. That meant getting out into the community to hear from their residents to "get a gauge of what was being felt in the community."

A siding-clad manufactured home on a wide lot with well-manicured tropical landscaping.

April 22, 2024

Manufacturing Affordability

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: The important role of manufactured housing in supporting housing choice, availability, and affordability.

April 11, 2024

Why Minnesota Needs to Protect the 2040 Plan

Minnesota needs to protect the 2040 Plan to maintain its position as a national leader in housing supply and zoning reform, which is crucial for addressing the housing attainability crisis and ensuring housing equity and affordability across the state.

February 28, 2024

5 Federal Zoning Reform Bills Every Planner Should Know

Five federal zoning reform bills, endorsed by APA, that every planner should know.

December 20, 2023

The Impact of Infrastructure and Workforce Challenges on Local Housing Supply

The Housing Supply Accelerator recently concluded its series of convenings in Atlanta, focused on the need to align infrastructure investments with housing development and address the shortage of construction workers through strategic initiatives.

December 13, 2023

Disaster Resilience Strategy and Leadership Vary Widely Among States

New research finds some have taken steps to plan and adapt, but others are lagging

December 11, 2023

Can Zoning Save Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH)?

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: What role can zoning play in shielding naturally occurring affordable housing from redevelopment?

November 30, 2023

The Lasting Legacy of Harmful Land-Use Regulations

Uncovering JAPA: Early land-use regulations shaped the concepts of race, which challenge today's planners to create equitable spaces.

November 14, 2023

Top Five Takeaways: White House Housing Fact Sheet

The Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions last month to support and accelerate commercial-to-residential conversions through new federal guidance on financing and tax incentives, technical assistance, and the reuse of federal properties.

November 8, 2023

Support for Zoning Reform Across Capitol Hill

The PRO-Housing Program cleared important legislative hurdles this month after gaining a second year of funding in the Senate transportation and housing funding bill and passing as an amendment in the House's version of the same funding bill.

November 2, 2023

Impact of Low-Cost Housing Interventions

Uncovering JAPA: The positive impact of low-cost housing remediations led to reduced blight and crime in Philadelphia.

October 27, 2023

Examining the Role of Land Use and Regulations in Housing Development

A recap of the third convening for the Housing Supply Accelerator focusing on examining the role of regulatory processes in facilitating housing production to address shortages.

October 18, 2023

Three Governors Issue Executive Orders on Housing to Increase Supply

Governors of Colorado, New York, and Hawaii have exercised their executive powers to implement various levels of zoning reform within their states.

October 13, 2023

No State Immune to Housing Supply Shortage

A new report, sponsored by APA, finds that the nation's housing supply shortage is getting worse, faster — especially for small towns and suburban communities that face high housing demand in the aftermath of the pandemic.

October 11, 2023

Are We Close to Automating Zoning?

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Can generative AI take the drudgery out of drafting zoning regulations?

September 12, 2023

Housing Finance Takes Focus at Most Recent Housing Supply Accelerator Convening

The second Housing Supply Accelerator convening held in Tacoma, Washington, focused on housing finance, including filling the information gap, public-private partnerships, and utilizing federal funding and programs.

August 30, 2023

Federal Zoning Reform Funding Available Now

A new federal competitive grant program – totaling $85 million – is now available to help local governments develop and implement policies that create and preserve housing options by breaking down barriers to zoning reform.

July 13, 2023

SHELTER: A Redistributive Affordable Housing Policy

Uncovering JAPA: Plan to reuse existing revenues to fund innovative housing policy reforms.

June 29, 2023

Discretionary vs. By-Right Approval: Which is Faster?

Uncovering JAPA: Is by-right or discretionary approval faster?

June 21, 2023

Three Chicago Housing Developments Meeting Community Needs

Members of the Housing Supply Accelerator Steering Committee tour three housing developments on Chicago's south and west sides to see innovation at work.

June 21, 2023

Construction and Development Issues Take Focus at Latest Housing Supply Accelerator Convening

Recent Housing Supply Accelerator convening explored the various issues and opportunities related to construction and development of the nation's housing.

June 15, 2023

Increasing Sharing Options in Housing to Improve Mental Health

Uncovering JAPA: Planners can promote sharing capabilities to create a flexible backdrop for people to live within to meet the social needs of Americans today.

May 31, 2023

Five Key ADU State Bills

A list of accessory dwelling unit bills that were introduced in 2023 state legislative sessions.

May 30, 2023

How to Overcome ADU Barriers

APA and AARP partner to create a guide to expand local supply and legal occupancy of ADUs

May 18, 2023

Do Municipalities Use Cost-Benefit Analysis for Incentive Zoning?

Uncovering JAPA: Exploring the use of cost-benefit to develop incentive zoning programs.

March 24, 2023

State of the State Addresses Aim to Tackle the Housing Crisis

Governors address housing policies in state of state addresses in 2023.

March 22, 2023

National Experts Join the Housing Supply Accelerator to Guide Meaningful Action

National experts appointed to help guide the Housing Supply Accelerator.

March 2, 2023

Maximizing Affordable Housing Production Under Inclusionary Zoning

Uncovering JAPA: Authors aim to understand the effectiveness of different inclusionary zoning policies.

February 16, 2023

Understanding the Motivations and Barriers to ADU Construction

Uncovering JAPA: What are the barriers to building ADUs?

February 16, 2023

It's Perilous to Ignore “Gentle” Zoning Reforms

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Could subtle zoning changes make a big difference in your community?

February 9, 2023

Lessons for American Zoning From Australia and Canada

Uncovering JAPA: Learning from Australia and Canada's zoning decisions to advance environmental goals, not exclusionary motivations.

January 20, 2023

What to Expect in State Legislatures on Zoning Reform in 2023

State legislatures in 2022 focused on increasing affordable housing within their respective regions. The trend of state legislatures preempting zoning reform is expected to continue in 2023 across the country.

January 19, 2023

Potential of Manufactured Housing and Resident-Owned Communities

Uncovering JAPA: Manufactured housing deserves more academic attention.

January 13, 2023

Demystifying the Zoning Reform Process

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Is your community overdue for a new development code?

January 12, 2023

Decriminalizing Vehicular Homelessness in Los Angeles

Uncovering JAPA: Restrictive vehicle ordinances do not reduce the prevalence of vehicular homelessness, but shift it to different communities.

January 10, 2023

Congress Funds New ‘YIMBY’ Grants for Zoning Reform

Congress passes a new $85 million grant program aimed at zoning reform. The funding represents a new and significant incentive and support for local zoning reform and planning for housing affordability.

November 11, 2022

Don’t Sleep on Coliving

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Your zoning code probably isn't ready for modern coliving communities.

July 18, 2022

Housing Scarcity Is Worse Than Ever

A recent report demonstrates that the underproduction of housing units affects 47 states and Washington D.C., and its impacts are being felt in all kinds of places, from dense urban areas to small, rural towns.

May 17, 2022

Addressing the Nation's Housing Crisis

Get the latest information on housing reforms at state and federal levels, including the Biden administration's launch of the Housing Supply Action Plan.

May 13, 2022

Going Beyond "Use" Zoning to Promote Housing Equity

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How can deregulation expand housing supply and support housing equity?

April 21, 2022

Mobile Home Parks Understudied in Planning

Uncovering JAPA: Manufactured housing, despite the importance impact to low-income homeownership, remains an understudied topic in planning research and practice. This article provides a needed spatial and regulatory analysis of mobile home parks in Houston.

March 14, 2022

Is Zoning Helping or Hindering Office-to-Housing Conversions?

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Do high office vacancy rates mean that office-to-housing conversions are inevitable? How does zoning affect opportunities for adaptive reuse projects?