Housing
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Ex-Twitter CFO named San Francisco’s incoming housing chief
Amid a planned restructuring of the mayor’s office, Ned Segal will coordinate a portfolio of departments responsible for about $3 billion in spending.
By Maura Webber Sadovi • Dec. 18, 2024 -
Boston ramps up affordable housing preservation efforts with new revolving fund
Building on the success of another preservation program, the city launched an effort last week that aims to protect residents from rising rents and outside investor pressure.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 18, 2024 -
Trendline
Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive
From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.
By Smart Cities Dive staff -
Safe parking programs offer support to people living in their cars
Beyond access to Wi-Fi, sanitation stations and food, the programs can bring stability and community to people experiencing homelessness from San Diego to Duluth, Minnesota.
By Karen Kroll • Dec. 17, 2024 -
Housing policies must improve to meet older adults’ needs, AARP says
Rising costs and limited options challenge adults age 50 and older who want to stay in their current homes and communities as they age, according to recent AARP survey results.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 11, 2024 -
Federally assisted affordable housing faces preservation risks, report warns
Major investments in public housing and reforms to the oversubscribed Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program are needed to preserve this crucial housing stock, say affordable housing experts.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 9, 2024 -
New York City makes sweeping zoning changes to address housing crisis
The plan approved Thursday creates the nation’s most populous area without parking mandates for new residential construction. It also eases office-to-residential conversions and allows more density.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 6, 2024 -
To tackle housing affordability challenges, Ohio local governments take regional approach
A new coalition will focus on “breaking down siloes and maximizing resources,” according to the city of Columbus, Ohio, one of the local governments involved in the entity.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Dec. 5, 2024 -
Seattle encourages co-living housing with new law
Young people looking to live in popular neighborhoods and retirees seeking community are among those who may be interested in co-living, a Washington state lawmaker said.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 27, 2024 -
US office conversions could be up 63% in 2024 as cities remove barriers, real estate company says
Chicago’s LaSalle Street Reimagined project is an example of how municipal support can spur conversions and build mixed-use communities, a CBRE report says.
By Nish Amarnath • Nov. 27, 2024 -
Can AI help prevent homelessness before it happens? Los Angeles County is finding out.
The county and University of California, Los Angeles, researchers are working to direct scarce homelessness prevention resources toward the people who need them most.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 25, 2024 -
Denver to invest $570M in downtown revitalization after voters pass bond measure
The city plans to use newly authorized bond financing to invest in housing, local entrepreneurs, new businesses and public spaces.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 8, 2024 -
National Housing Crisis Task Force unveils agenda for next president, Congress
The federal government must “fundamentally restructure” its organization to address the housing crisis, according to recommendations from 28 public, civic and corporate leaders.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 5, 2024 -
Boston’s affordable housing preservation efforts are seeing results
Other cities and states nationwide should learn from the success of a program that helps “mission-driven” developers purchase rental properties, one community advocate said.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 1, 2024 -
California pours $827M into local homelessness response with increased accountability measures
The state is collecting monthly data on how communities spend the money and whether investments make a measurable difference.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 30, 2024 -
Office-to-residential conversions are tough. Could dorm-style co-living be the answer?
Microapartments with shared bathrooms and kitchens could suit service workers, retirees and young professionals and cost 25% to 35% less than converting offices to traditional apartments, Pew and Gensler researchers said.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 22, 2024 -
The multifamily housing-related ballot measures that passed, and failed, on election day
Eight out of 13 major housing-related measures were approved in jurisdictions nationwide during this week’s election.
By Mary Salmonsen • Updated Nov. 7, 2024 -
Philadelphia bans rent-setting software, joining San Francisco
The software lets residential landlords indirectly coordinate, raising rents, lowering occupancy rates and increasing evictions, lawmakers say. San Francisco’s ban is in effect, while Philadelphia’s awaits the mayor’s signature.
By Mary Salmonsen • Updated Oct. 30, 2024 -
Opinion
Eviction data is lacking. Here’s how local governments can help.
Local leaders need to understand the magnitude of the housing crisis in their area to act on it, a Princeton Eviction Lab representative says.
By Camila Vallejo • Oct. 14, 2024 -
Why California’s governor shot down a bill aimed at ramping up adaptive reuse projects
Converting commercial buildings to residential or other uses may have become even more complicated under the bill, local officials said.
By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 9, 2024 -
EPA requires lead pipes to be replaced nationwide within 10 years
The landmark rule imposes the strictest limits on lead in drinking water since federal standards were set 30 years ago.
By Julie Strupp • Oct. 8, 2024 -
California allocates $131M to local homelessness response efforts
The state will also reimburse local governments for cleaning up encampments on state land, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 8, 2024 -
New California laws tighten renter protections
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed multiple bills into law. A major remaining question is whether voters will approve an upcoming ballot measure to expand local governments’ authority to enact rent control.
By Mary Salmonsen • Oct. 3, 2024 -
2025’s top smart city conferences
Smart city technology, housing, climate action, road safety and more will take center stage at events already announced for next year.
By Ysabelle Kempe , Dan Zukowski • Oct. 1, 2024 -
As Los Angeles struggles with RV encampments, a new California law aims to help
The law allows the city to lease state transportation department property for $1 a month to securely store recreational vehicles formerly inhabited by people experiencing homelessness.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 1, 2024 -
HUD extreme heat playbook focuses on increasing resilience in housing
The guidance identifies potential federal funding sources and example projects that it says could work elsewhere across the country.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Sept. 27, 2024