Boston mayor bans fossil fuels in new city-owned buildings

The executive order, which also prohibits fossil fuel use in renovations of existing city-owned structures, is part of a larger push for carbon neutrality by 2050.

By Nish Amarnath • Aug. 8, 2023

New housing crisis measures announced by Biden administration

Communities that remove housing production barriers, such as through zoning reform, and encourage commercial-to-residential conversions could qualify for new federal grants.

By Danielle McLean • Aug. 4, 2023

Explore the 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

Commercial-to-residential conversions could accelerate under HUD initiative

Building industry experts say the Housing and Urban Development Department grant will give much-needed guidance on projects stalled by zoning hurdles and outdated permitting processes.

By Nish Amarnath • Aug. 4, 2023

How to safely store e-bikes, e-scooters in apartments

The uptick in micromobility battery fires shows electrification is "moving faster than we’re able to necessarily adapt to," a fire protection expert at an engineering consulting firm said.

By Mary Salmonsen • Aug. 3, 2023

Emergency financial assistance reduces risk of homelessness

Households were 81% less likely to become homeless within six months when they received money through one California county’s program, a new study finds. 

By Danielle McLean • July 31, 2023

Regulations, building layouts impede office conversion projects

Even as Congress faces pressure to overhaul outdated permitting processes, builders, architects and property owners cite complex zoning laws as barriers to converting existing office space to residential and other uses.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

California clears path for safe conversion of underused commercial buildings

The California Building Standards Commission’s vote to amend existing building code allows multiple compliance paths for adaptive reuse.

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

Cost concerns spur North Carolina’s move to delay vote on building code update

The state’s Building Code Council has shelved a vote on a proposed overhaul of building energy efficiency rules as it waits for reports detailing the costs and benefits of implementing the changes. 

By Nish Amarnath • July 24, 2023

Seattle downtown revitalization plan reimagines area post-pandemic

The plan aims to make downtown safer and more welcoming, but critics say it comes at a cost for people living on the streets.

By Joan Mooney • July 24, 2023

Rising insurance costs could force apartment sales, threaten new development

When insurance increases kill affordable deals, they knock much-needed moderately priced housing out of the market.

By Leslie Shaver • July 19, 2023

House bill would slash funds for transit, Amtrak, equity programs

The proposed fiscal 2024 federal transportation budget would cut two major grant programs and impose restrictions on how certain funds could be used.

By Dan Zukowski • July 19, 2023

Residential conversions continue to rise as office values decline

Work-from-home trends and market conditions have made conversion projects more feasible.

By Mary Salmonsen • July 18, 2023

The top 10 states residents want to move into (and out of)

Florida stands out for its high amount of churn, as both the No. 2 state Americans want to move to and the top state current residents want to leave.

By Mary Salmonsen • July 17, 2023

Demand for parking may have dire climate, housing consequences, author says

“The more parking you provide, the more likely people will be to own a car,” said author Henry Grabar on a webinar. 

By Dan Zukowski • July 12, 2023

San Francisco invites proposals to convert downtown office spaces into housing, other new uses

The city’s initiative to repurpose underused downtown commercial space solidifies legislation passed last week to simplify commercial building conversion processes.

By Nish Amarnath • June 29, 2023

US housing ‘crisis state’ calls for more affordable housing, zoning reform, state-local collaboration, panel says

State efforts to spur housing development were lauded at the panel discussion, which was tied to the release of the annual state of U.S. housing report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

By Gaby Galvin • June 29, 2023

To improve multifamily housing energy efficiency and resiliency, HUD offers $4.8B for retrofits

The first round of the $4.8 billion GRRP covers upgrades for 28 rent-assisted properties.

By Mary Salmonsen • June 22, 2023

Which zoning changes best alleviate the housing crisis? Seattle-area cities have a new way to find out.

An interactive online tool from the Urban Institute estimates the impact on housing development of four different zoning changes around transit construction in the Puget Sound area.

By Kalena Thomhave • June 22, 2023

When wildfires hit, homes built under fire-resistant codes are surviving. Communities are noticing.

Building code changes resulted in more saved homes in the 2018 Camp Fire in California. With more frequent, intense wildfires likely, Western communities are taking a look but hearing concerns about costs and property rights.

By Amanda Loudin • June 16, 2023

Police are shaping and enforcing homelessness policies. It’s making the problem worse, researchers say.

Programs that police or criminalize homelessness go against evidence-based housing-policies and may actually promote cycles of homelessness, said researchers from Boston University and Cornell University.

By Danielle McLean • June 15, 2023

The 8 metros with negative rent growth

Despite the deceleration, rent growth in May continued in many cities, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast.

By Jennifer Goodman • June 8, 2023

Affordable housing bill vetoed by Colorado governor, sparking backlash from legislators

The bill’s co-sponsors clapped back, claiming in a statement that Gov. Jared Polis had kowtowed to special interests at the last minute.

By Michael Brady • June 8, 2023

‘Street crisis team’ aims to curb police involvement in homelessness response in San Francisco

Decreasing police use can reduce cycles of incarceration, which are expensive for cities and harm people experiencing homelessness, said a public health expert.

By Ysabelle Kempe • June 7, 2023

Single-family rental construction more active than ever

Lifestyle changes and high home prices are driving demand for build-to-rent homes.

By Mary Salmonsen • June 6, 2023

Lawmakers urge HUD to prohibit biometric recognition tech in federally-funded housing

Racial bias, harassment for minor rule violations were among their concerns, the lawmakers said in their letter to Housing and Urban Development.

By Mary Salmonsen • June 5, 2023