West Coast Cottage Reforms Lead to Explosive Rise in Permits
[takeaway_box heading=”Big increases in West Coast permits for accessory dwelling units show the effectiveness of cottage rule reform, especially the removal of parking and owner-occupancy mandates.” takeaways='{“0”:{“text”:”ADU permits surged after ...
Author: SwatchJunkies
Biden-Harris Win Opens Path to Federal Action on Housing
Biden wins! Good news is the Biden-Harris ticket has a great plan for federal action on housing. Bad news is continued obstructionism in a Republican-controlled Senate will stall affordability and housing security for Americans.
Author: SwatchJunkies
Ballot Drop Boxes Loom Large in 2020
As states explore new ways to enhance vote-by-mail access during the pandemic, one resource has become an important piece of an Oregon county’s expansion of drop boxes—libraries. Multnomah County, Oregon, ...
Author: SwatchJunkies
The Path to Good Local Zoning Reform is State and Federal Zoning Reform
Should pro-housing advocates focus on making bad cities less bad, or on making good cities better? Here in Cascadia, we’ve just seen some interesting evidence that relatively modest state laws ...
Author: SwatchJunkies
Good News! Vancouver’s Six-Homes-per-Lot Proposal Could Work
Can Vancouver BC's six-homes-per-lot plan work? Re-legalizing smallplexes takes on expensive housing, segregation, and climate chaos. Ironically, sky-high land values make it possible to cap the price of two homes in a smallplex---if it's built big enough.
Author: SwatchJunkies
Will the Federal Hammer Come Down on Apartment Bans?
With a conversation about zoning to lift apartment bans going mainstream at the national level and households across the country suffering from COVID’s devastation, the stage has never been better set for Congress to act.
Author: SwatchJunkies
Portland just passed the best low-density zoning reform in US history
Portland’s city council set a new bar for North American housing reform Wednesday by legalizing up to four homes on almost any residential lot. Portland’s new rules will also offer ...
Author: SwatchJunkies
Five Steps to Prevent Displacement
Protect tenants. Upzone for reparations. And 3 more steps for communities to build abundant housing, invest in affordability, and avoid displacement.
Author: SwatchJunkies
A Federal One-Two Punch to Protect Renters—Pandemic and Beyond
Together, these two strategies can turn around the coronavirus housing emergency, and set the course for long-term housing abundance and affordability. Â
Author: SwatchJunkies
Washington Stops at Incremental Housing Steps
More and more Washingtonians can’t find homes they can afford. The housing squeeze has been especially hard on renters. For those stretched to the limit just to make rent every ...
