Accessory Dwelling Units, Regional Sustainability, Sustainable Development

Jumpstarting the market for accessory dwelling units

May 23, 2017

How did Portland, Oregon, go from permitting two accessory dwelling units (ADUs) per month in 2009 to almost two per day in 2016?  Now, more than one of every 10 housing units built in Portland is an ADU.   ADU permitting explodes: Permits as a share of all residential permits. Compared to other housing types, ADUs, or separate small dwellings…

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Displacement, Gentrification, Regional Sustainability, Sustainable Development

Does transit investment displace households and lead to more driving? Yes and no

May 14, 2017

The passage of Senate Bill 375 in 2008 ushered in a new era of regional sustainability planning in California. Now, regions must coordinate their transportation planning and investment with land use strategies that will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But what if the hundreds of new fixed-rail stations recently built or planned for California’s major metros, along with related “transit-oriented development,” inadvertently displace…

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