A glut of new housing and development research has been published recently, shedding new light on some of the most fundamental questions of contemporary planning.

A new report by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles compiles the relatively small body of recent research about the effects of market-rate development on rents in the surrounding neighborhood.
The report responds to the ongoing debate about the effects of market-rate development. "On one side are those who think new market-rate units — unsubsidized homes whose price often places them beyond the reach of lower- and middle-income households — make nearby housing more affordable by increasing availability and relieving pressure on the existing housing stock." And "An opposing view, however, is that new housing only attracts more wealthy households, brings new amenities to the neighborhood (including the housing itself), and sends a signal to existing landlords that they should raise their rents."
Hat/tip to Michael Lens for sharing the news of the new report on Twitter.
The report helpfully reviews and discusses recent research—six working papers published since 2019—to reveal how much more information is now available on the subject than in the relatively recent past.
The six working papers detailed in the report also have new company, with a trio of research papers published this week on the subject of upzoning. A tweet by Yonah Freemark is spreading news about the new research on social media.
3 papers on upzoning just released:
-Dong finds upzoning associated w/housing construction https://t.co/qpio45EK9n
-Kuhlmann finds upzoning associated w/ 3+%in property prices https://t.co/C4XdMik5yX
-Davis finds upzoning associated w/white residents https://t.co/Vs1h6LseAo— Yonah Freemark (@yfreemark) February 17, 2021
A second tweet by Freemark notes another study from New Zealand published in August 2020.
FULL STORY: Research Roundup: The Effect of Market-Rate Development on Neighborhood Rents

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power
The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.

New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing
Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths
Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply
New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?
Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas
The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.
City of Madera
City of Santa Clarita
Borough of Carlisle
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Colorado Energy Office
Pima County Community College District
City of Piedmont, CA
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.