CityLab Daily: Housing Reformers Make Case for a National Zoning Atlas

Dozens of researchers across the US have teamed up to compile data for a national zoning atlas that, when complete, will offer users a neighborhood-level view of the zoning codes set by some 30,000 different local governments. Local versions of the map have proven to be powerful tools for reform, allowing housing advocates to pinpoint communities where land-use regulations restrict new home construction, and push for change.

The national atlas, which was launched this month, could be a big step toward reversing neighborhood segregation and unaffordable housing. But untangling zoning codes on a national scale is no easy feat; they’re often byzantine and fragmented, and can change frequently, Kriston Capps reports. Today on CityLab: Can a National Zoning Atlas Chart a Way Out of the US Housing Crisis?