Reforming the administration of a city's building or zoning code is just as important as reforming the code itself. Fortunately, shifting this approach is within the discretion of city staff, so they can turn an aggravating, time-consuming process into one that better serves everyone's needs.
Read MoreThe practice of "grandfathering in" old buildings — letting them exist without meeting current building codes — is a good one. However, buildings lose this protected status if their owners perform renovations or additions, resulting in many buildings declining or sitting empty. It doesn't have to be this way.
Read MoreThe unique planning and eclectic architecture of Savannah, GA, provide a PhD education on urban design—but there are also cautionary tales about development to be gleaned from this historic city.
Read MoreThis Philadelphia museum has won regional and national praise, and titled a “Philadelphia Cultural Treasure.” Yet, that didn’t stop the Zoning Board of Adjustments from challenging the homegrown institution's right to operate.
Read MoreWanting to encourage people toward using bikes for transportation is all fine and good, but not when it makes it harder for developers to build much-needed housing.
Read MoreIf your city, like so many others, needs more housing and fast, then here’s a way some places are streamlining the process.
Read MoreThis story about a revitalized church’s parking requirements might sound absurd, but it’s reflective of the very real and very absurd regulations most communities face when it comes to parking.
Read MoreReopening a neighborhood store that was a fixture in its community for decades shouldn’t be this hard.
Read MorePhiladelphia is a great place to visit, but not because it’s a great place to park. City officials don’t seem to see it that way, though, given the recent restrictions placed on its outdoor dining program.
Read More“Community character" is often invoked to support exclusion and discrimination, but there are also communities whose unique "character" matters—a lot. How (if at all) should local government support such places?
Read MoreMany older homeowners face a tough choice: Age in a home that’s too large or inaccessible for them, or give up their property and move somewhere else. Here’s how one resident of Delta, BC, found a third option.
Read MoreA small, local, mixed-use business versus a new Amazon warehouse. Let’s put these two business proposals before the Shark Tank (Winnipeg edition).
Read MoreAlthough they stand in very different parts of the country, these college towns are spearheading the push to eliminate harmful, longstanding land-use policies.
Read MoreThe problems with "community input" are many and obvious. One misguided response is to favor more top-down policy making, simply overriding the objections of local "NIMBYs." But there is a third way.
Read MoreReal-world examples of the administrative friction that holds back small-scale developers.
Read MoreWhat kind of zoning reform do we need in order to build strong towns?
Read MoreIncremental development today is far from the path of least resistance. To do it, you'll need the ability to navigate dozens of regulatory barriers.
Read MoreWhat can we do at the most immediate, local level when water reservoirs run low?
Read MoreLocal decision-making must become more accessible to everyday people. Here's how to make that happen in your place.
Read MoreOne of the realities about cities is that they change—but in America, most cities are trapped in a regulatory environment that makes change extremely costly.
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