Sarah Downey
Blog
West Coast cities need to catch up on office-to-home conversions
Some buildings are in the pipeline, just waiting for approval, but many cities need to do more improving of infrastructure, cleanliness and safety in order to thrive. In a sign of good news, more office-to-residential conversions have developed in cities as distinct as Cleveland, Houston and Washington, D.C. The West ...
Sarah Downey
April 23, 2025
Blog
Office conversions can help address L.A.’s housing shortage
Even before the pandemic, such adaptive-reuse efforts were taking place. Lately it’s become more relevant given the escalation in housing costs along with low inventory across the residential marketplace. The Los Angeles wildfires also have provided impetus for this idea. It’s better for the environment when one doesn’t have to ...
Sarah Downey
March 6, 2025
Blog
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
Can cities keep up as California steps up housing lawsuits?
Housing Element parameters are determined by the state, guiding cities and counties to produce sufficient inventory to accommodate community needs. While Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) numbers get updated every eight years, what is planned for – and what is actually built – have long differed. The state this year ...
Sarah Downey
December 5, 2024
Blog
Beyond rate cuts: Revived housing requires zoning reform
Recent reports by USC researchers and market analysts suggest that California’s already pricey housing stock requires far more than an interest rate cut to balance out, meaning an onrush of moderately priced units aren’t likely in the near term. But there has been further legislation from Sacramento this past session ...
Sarah Downey
November 14, 2024
West Coast cities need to catch up on office-to-home conversions
Some buildings are in the pipeline, just waiting for approval, but many cities need to do more improving of infrastructure, cleanliness and safety in order to thrive. In a sign of good news, more office-to-residential conversions have developed in cities as distinct as Cleveland, Houston and Washington, D.C. The West ...
Office conversions can help address L.A.’s housing shortage
Even before the pandemic, such adaptive-reuse efforts were taking place. Lately it’s become more relevant given the escalation in housing costs along with low inventory across the residential marketplace. The Los Angeles wildfires also have provided impetus for this idea. It’s better for the environment when one doesn’t have to ...
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
Can cities keep up as California steps up housing lawsuits?
Housing Element parameters are determined by the state, guiding cities and counties to produce sufficient inventory to accommodate community needs. While Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) numbers get updated every eight years, what is planned for – and what is actually built – have long differed. The state this year ...
Beyond rate cuts: Revived housing requires zoning reform
Recent reports by USC researchers and market analysts suggest that California’s already pricey housing stock requires far more than an interest rate cut to balance out, meaning an onrush of moderately priced units aren’t likely in the near term. But there has been further legislation from Sacramento this past session ...