February 18: What we’re reading this week
Some articles we found interesting this week:
Local governments are trying a new way to address the housing crisis, from Vox.
The Richmond Fed published an interesting article comparing housing markets with strict land use rules to those with relaxed land use rules. Unsurprisingly, the findings support the notion that easing land use restrictions accelerates the construction of new housing.
Here’s more support for the notion that restrictive zoning decreases housing affordability, from Pew.
That was fast! Charlotte’s City Council is considering rolling back some of its Missing Middle reforms that were only enacted in 2022. Via Axios Charlotte.
This 2023 study demonstrates that children and Black residents are disproportionately impacted by evictions in America. The findings also reinforce the fact that homelessness is a housing problem.
For those living in Raleigh before 2007, this may be a bit of a Groundhog Day moment. It almost seems like yesterday (but actually 2007) when Raleigh moved beyond its pedestrian mall and ghoulish-green fishponds. Be that as it may, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance released the first phase of a multi-phase plan for a new effort at revitalizing Downtown. This first phase focuses on activating Fayetteville Street.
What it Takes to Fill a Food Desert, from Bloomberg.
The January 2024 median real estate price in Wake County decreased by $15,750 to $436,500.
Given NC’s recent Medicaid expansion, here’s an interesting take on rental assistance as “healthcare,’ from Vox.
Three Ways to Strengthen Neighborhood Governance by the National Civic League.