Housing and Urban Issues
Stresses on urban communities continue to affect housing, food security, child services, homelessness, business development and crime. Coverage includes stories about new solutions to how cities are run, how they develop as urban centers and about the people who live there.
Josh Green’s plan relies heavily on redeveloping state land and expediting permits — but nearly half the pipeline homes haven’t cleared essential approvals.
Clear, consistent planning and messaging helped New Rochelle, N.Y., build thousands of housing units with minimal blowback.
It's vital to democracy, but the economics of the business and corporate ownership continue to challenge the independent reporting communities need.
Columbus, Ohio, is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, its economy driven by an unusual culture of cooperation led by Mayor Andrew Ginther.
As traditional development slows, accessory dwelling units now represent 30–45 percent of new permits and more than half of the affordable homes in unincorporated areas.
In recent months, major cities including San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, Fresno and Los Angeles have significantly stepped up efforts to clear encampments. Officials say it's an overdue shift in policy around homelessness.
Forbidding high-rises were a product of a misguided, elitist ideology. We could have done better than leveling vibrant neighborhoods.
Roughly 2,000 modular units are underway, but opponents fear rents may still remain out of reach.
HUD recently changed the eligibility criteria for grants to support the Trump administration’s positions on a range of issues, from immigration enforcement to gender identity. The move bars applicants from most states.
The proposed program mirrors the COVID-era “Save The Dream” initiative, though in a reduced form: eligibility narrowed and benefits capped much lower than before.
Congress has substantially increased support for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. That should help finance thousands more units.
A sweeping report shows that inadequate building, high interest rates and wage stagnation have pushed housing costs too high for workers in surprising numbers of professions.
Unsheltered homelessness surged in North Miami-Dade by 74 percent, while shelter capacity shrank after the closure of major facilities.
The state program boosts incentives for builders and provides financial assistance for buyers, aiming to bring modest homes well below median prices.
When it comes to generating a revival, trying to copy what has succeeded somewhere else usually doesn’t work.
Religious property owners are largely exempt from zoning codes, allowing some churches to build tiny home villages.
At least 20 of the nation’s 25 largest cities face budget gaps in 2026. As cities lean on reserves and costs outpace revenues, experts warn state flexibility will be critical.
After Katrina, most of the city's schools became charters. Although the change brought results, the importance of accountability measures should not be forgotten.
Two years ago, lawmakers in the Big Sky State passed one of the most comprehensive state-level housing reform packages in the country. This year, they doubled down on their success.
Detectives credit long hours, strong community trust, and cross-unit collaboration for solving every homicide case since 2022.
A new statewide energy code seeks to lower emissions and utility bills, but homebuilders may push back over concerns about affordability.
The president’s deployment of the military to our cities undermines a critical constitutional safeguard for democracy. Just look at what’s happened in some other countries.
Median home values have risen 60 percent since 2012, yet the city has 20,000 fewer housing units than before the storm, with nearly 29,000 still vacant.
The judgments we make about them can be difficult to shake, even when their reality has changed a lot.
There are plenty of strategies that have proven effective at dramatically reducing crime. Sending soldiers into the streets of our cities isn’t one of them.
Eighteen youths have been killed so far in 2025. Local leaders are turning to mentorship, counseling, and community programs to reach kids before violence does.
The 2025 count shows more than 22,000 homeless on a single night and nearly 159,000 overall, up 25 percent since 2022 despite unprecedented spending.
City and county programs now offer $500 monthly to vulnerable tenants plus support services, but only 740 are served — far below the 1,425 goal. More funding is needed to avert displacement.
The city spends more than $500,000 a year on ShotSpotter, plus millions in labor costs, but data show few arrests or firearms recovered.
Cities and states scrambled to house homeless people in hotels and motels during the emergency phase of the pandemic. Many communities still find it’s a good model.
More than 300 residents are being relocated because of public safety concerns and plans to restore Columbus Park for recreation.
