Exclusionary zoning practices have shaped the history of America’s cities for decades, and now our leaders struggle to dismantle these barriers. Tim McCormick advocates for legalizing vehicle residency in the Cascadia area and details the progress as well as the remaining challenges mobile dwellers face. We need innovative solutions to affordability. Why not allow people to create their own American Dream with mobile housing?

The American household has been shrinking for 50 years and counting, yet we keep building larger and larger. Homes less than 1400 square feet used to make up the vast majority of annual new construction in the post WWII era. That number has dwindled to less than 10% in recent years, and at a time when over half of America lives as 1-2 person households. Why the massive misalignment? This New York Times article tracks the disappearance of small homes and the modern barriers preventing their comeback..

Community and family are key components to our overall happiness. Yet, one of the fallouts of the housing recession is that aging in place has become more difficult, with few options to downsize within one's community. This forces people to move farther away from families and friends, contributing to feelings of loneliness and isolation. We can do better for ourselves and our families by advocating for a New Urbanist approach to city growth, adopting ADU-friendly ordinances, and supporting the development of walkable neighborhoods.