SBR-Authors Podcast: Finding True Happiness Through Acts of Kindness: A Conversation with Karen Olson
Creative Housing Solutions Pop Up Across Oregon
Affordable Housing on the Front Range: Inclusionary Housing Ordinances and the New Middle Income Housing Authority
Office-to-Apartment Conversions – A Good Idea, but Tricky to Pull Off (Audio)
Episode 15 | Hot! Hot! Hot! Don't get Burned by the Perils of Buying and Selling Residential Real Estate
California CRE to Expand in 2022
Across the United States, empty office buildings have become a common sight. According to Moody’s Analytics, office vacancies are at their highest since the 1990s. The COVID hangover has left us with an abundance of vacant or...more
Workforce housing (also referred to as middle-income or essential housing) is becoming a central focus for communities across the country. Whether you’re a city, town, village, housing authority, developer, or part of the...more
A major affordable housing development underway in Fairfax County, Virginia, is setting a new precedent for large-scale, multi-phase transactions in high-cost suburban markets. Located adjacent to the County’s Government...more
This is the eighth update in our series covering AB 130 and SB 131, two bills that work substantive changes to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and California housing law....more
On May 28, Senate Bill 840 arrived on Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s desk after passing the Texas House and Texas Senate with bipartisan support. Authored by State Senator Bryan Hughes, the bill aims to increase the state’s...more
The UK faces a significant housing crisis due to an acute shortage of homes caused by high capital costs, increasing construction and development expenses, regulatory and political uncertainty, and persistent delays in the...more
As part of an ongoing effort to address the affordable housing shortage, the Connecticut General Assembly has passed Senate Bill No. 1444 which is designed to facilitate the conversion of certain buildings to residential use....more
Good news for Kentucky local governments—they’ve got a new tool to help tackle housing shortages, thanks to legislation passed during the 2025 Kentucky General Assembly. Senate Bill (SB) 25 now allows local governments to...more
According to recent news coverage, about 30,000 housing units proposed for Boston are approved by the Boston Planning Department (BPD) yet unable to break ground due to market conditions. In response, the Wu administration,...more
Last Friday, Massachusetts’ “Unlocking Housing Production Commission,” established by Gov. Maura Healey in October, 2023, released its report titled “Building for Tomorrow.” The report lays out a series of recommendations to...more
Following Governor Newsom’s recent Executive Order to assist those affected by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County, on Monday, LA Mayor Karen Bass issued her own emergency Executive Order designed to expedite the...more
On December 5, 2024, the New York City Council approved the “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” text amendment, as modified by the City Planning Commission, following recommendations from the Zoning and Franchises...more
The California Legislature has continued to refine the Density Bonus Law over the years, making important updates to housing laws that impact developers across the state. Recent legislative changes include key updates on...more
With the influx of business investment into West Virginia, there is both excitement and a recognized need for housing to meet current and future demand. A renewed focus on economic development by the state of West Virginia...more
The American Southwest is experiencing a notable shift in its approach to addressing affordable housing shortages. California, Nevada, and Arizona are exploring and debating various zoning relief measures to incentivize...more
The Live Local Act (Act), originally passed on March 29, 2023, was modified by SB328 on May 16, 2024. While the Act has been heralded as a solution to Florida’s affordable housing shortage, it has faced roadblocks since its...more
On June 27, 2024, the California First District Court of Appeal affirmed the denial of a writ petition challenging the City of Lafayette’s determination that a 12-unit residential condominium building qualified for the Class...more
City of Los Angeles - Increase to Planning Applications and Affordable Housing Linkage Fees - On July 1, 2024, the fee for planning and land use applications increased by 3.5% based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban...more
On July 12, 2024, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives titled the “Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act” (H.R. 9002) (the “Bill”), which, if enacted, will provide an investment tax...more
A roundup of news and multimedia from the Unfamiliar Terrain team: San Francisco - S.F.’s Stonestown to become west side’s largest residential development in 50 years (SF Chronicle): The plan to convert the Stonestown...more
After the Charter amendments suggested by the Orange County Charter Review Committee discussed in “Proposed Charter Changes Threaten Orange County's Economic Future” were blocked by the Florida Legislature as discussed in...more
New York City recently amended the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) regulations to exempt small residential developments from environmental review. The regulations, called "Green Fast Track for Housing," seek to...more
As expected, on June 28, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) determined that San Francisco has not made adequate progress toward its State-mandated housing production goal. The City’s Housing...more
A roundup of news and multimedia from the Unfamiliar Terrain team: San Francisco - Ultra Wealthy Are Putting Money Behind Bets on San Francisco’s Comeback (Bloomberg): Big investments in City businesses and real...more
Colorado’s General Assembly passed two bills this legislative session dedicated to improving the state of affordable housing in Colorado. HB24-1316 and HB24-1434 aim to supplement the State’s oversubscribed affordable housing...more