Berkeley, Calif., raises height limits in downtown area

Facing a severe housing shortage, the City of Berkeley, Calif., increased the height limits on residential buildings to 12 stories in the area close to the University of California campus.

Local officials unanimously approved the height increase, an action that will nearly double the neighborhood's development potential. As many as 2,650 new housing units could be constructed around the university campus.

Just 1,300 units have been completed in Berkeley over the past five years. Fewer than 725 units are now in the city's development pipeline, far below the amount needed to keep up with the more than 10% population gain since 2010.

The city's dire housing shortage, with the university providing housing for less than 25% of its students, has caused sharp increases in rents. Average rents in Berkeley are about $2,700 per month, but those near the university campus can fetch as much as 50% more than those near the city's borders.

The U.S. is ill-prepared to provide adequate housing for the growing ranks of older people, according to a report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Over the next decade, the U.S. population older than 75 will increase by 45%, growing from 17 million to nearly 25 million, with many expected to struggle financially.

Yale University breaks ground on the nation's largest Living Building student housing complex

University Buildings | Dec 8, 2023

Yale University breaks ground on nation's largest Living Building student housing complex

A groundbreaking on Oct. 11 kicked off a project aiming to construct the largest Living Building Challenge-certified residence on a university campus. The Living Village, a 45,000 sf home for Yale University Divinity School graduate students, “will make an ecological statement about the need to build in harmony with the natural world while training students to become ‘apostles of the environment’,” according to Bruner/Cott, which is leading the design team that includes Höweler + Yoon Architecture and Andropogon Associates.

Almost a million apartment units are currently under construction in the U.S., says Apartment List.

MFPRO+ News | Dec 7, 2023

7 key predictions for the 2024 multifamily rental housing market

2024 will be the strongest year for new apartment construction in decades, says Apartment List's chief economist.

Codes and Standards | Dec 7, 2023

New York City aims to spur construction of more accessory dwelling units (ADUs)

To address a serious housing shortage, New York City is trying to get more homeowners to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The city recently unveiled a program that offers owners of single-family homes up to nearly $400,000 to construct an apartment on their property.