Thursday, February 19, 2026

The mixed legacy of US zoning

Also today: How MAGA's census fight would reshape political power, and a Shaker revival points to something deeper than a trad obsession.
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A century after a 1926 landmark US Supreme Court ruling affirmed municipalities' rights to govern how their land is used, zoning has shaped not just America's physical landscape but also how people live, work and play — for better and worse. Euclidian zoning (so named for the Cleveland suburb at the center of the case) kept polluting industries away from residential areas, but it also enabled the continuing dominance of single-family homes, encouraging sprawl and fueling the modern housing shortage.

Now, on the 100th anniversary of the decision, calls for an overhaul of land use regulations are growing. YIMBY advocates say zoning rules are outdated, especially amid demands for more affordable housing and more walkable cities. Some argue they weren't such a good idea in the first place. Read more from contributor Anthony Flint as he reflects on the mixed legacy of zoning today on CityLab: How Zoning Won

— Linda Poon

More on CityLab

A Shaker Revival Points to Something Deeper Than a Trad Obsession
A critically acclaimed film and major museum survey find more in the history and culture of the Shakers than benches, brooms and bonnets.

Mapping a Way Out of the US Housing Affordability Crisis
Sara Bronin, founder of the National Zoning Atlas, has won the Heinz Award for her ongoing project to map the land-use rules that restrict housing production.

How MAGA's Census Fight Would Reshape Political Power
The battle over the 2030 Census is compounding concerns about Trump's broader moves to suppress the political power of the nation's growing non-White population.

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