29 Best Books on Housing and Community Planning

“Advertising, Commercial Spaces and the Urban (Consumption and Public Life)” Book Review: The book focuses on how advertising shapes our understanding of public space and the way we consume products. Cronin provides a detailed analysis of the impact of advertising on the urban environment, and how this affects our sense of place and community. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in the role of advertising in modern society, and how it shapes our experience of the city.

“Vulnerable Cities:: Realities, Innovations and Strategies (cSUR-UT Series: Library for Sustainable Urban Regeneration)” Book Review: This book is aimed at researchers, practitioners, students and anyone interested in learning about vulnerabilities in urban spaces. It provides extensive information on post-disaster rehabilitation in Asian and Latin American countries. The author combines empirical and comparative analysis of improvement of vulnerable urban spaces.

“Home Buying For Dummies” Book Review: This is a comprehensive guide to buying a home. The book covers a wide range of topics, from understanding the home buying process to negotiating and closing the deal. The chapters include topics like determining your budget, selecting a real estate agent, finding the right home, financing options, home inspections, and more. The book also includes helpful tips and advice, such as avoiding common mistakes and navigating the complex world of real estate.

“The Dynamic Decade: Creating the Sustainable Campus for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2001-2011” Book Review: This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in sustainable university growth. It provides detailed information on the redesign of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s 200-year-old campus. The author discusses the award-winning designs and unprecedented coordination between town and university. The book also includes many color photographs and maps for better understanding. It is written by authors who held major planning roles in the redesign process.

“Conservation Communities: Creating Value with Nature, Open Space & Agriculture” Book Review: The book provides a detailed analysis of how conservation communities can be created through the integration of nature, open space and agriculture. McMahon argues that these communities can provide a range of benefits, including increased property values and improved quality of life. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in sustainable development and the role of nature in urban planning.

“Space Power and Participation: Ethnic and Gender Divisions in Tenants Participation in Public Housing” Book Review: This book is targeted towards researchers, academics, and planners, as well as public authorities and civil society organizations worldwide. It offers a comprehensive analysis of three different types of housing projects with varying levels of tenant involvement in housing processes. The author has based this investigation on the decision-making processes in housing to determine the extent to which tenants can participate in them.

“Places and Spaces: The 1982 Housing Almanac” Book Review: This is a comprehensive guide to housing trends and issues in the United States. The book is divided into six chapters covering topics such as demographics, housing finance, construction, and energy efficiency. The first chapter provides an overview of demographic changes affecting housing demand, while the second chapter examines financing options available to homebuyers. The following chapters cover topics such as construction techniques, zoning regulations, and the use of solar energy in housing.

“Residential Location Choice: Models and Applications (Advances in Spatial Science)” Book Review: The intended audience for this book includes researchers, academics, planners, public authorities, and civil society organizations worldwide. Its focus is on various approaches used to model residential locations in the development of land-use and transport models, with the models presented serving as examples of complexity science. Additionally, the author provides information on essential building blocks for creating general urban models.

“Creating Space: A Guide to Real Estate Development for Artists” Book Review: The book covers everything from finding the right property to securing financing and navigating zoning regulations. Kartes provides practical advice on working with architects and contractors, as well as tips on marketing and promoting your space. This book is a valuable resource for artists looking to take their work to the next level.

“Overview of Federal Housing Assistance Programs (Housing Issues, Laws and Programs)” Book Review: This is a comprehensive guide to the various housing assistance programs offered by the US federal government. The book is divided into six chapters that cover topics such as public housing, housing choice vouchers, rural housing programs, homeless assistance, and fair housing laws. The first chapter provides an overview of federal housing policy and the roles of the different agencies involved. The following chapters delve into the specifics of each program, including eligibility requirements, funding mechanisms, and program outcomes.

“Property of Communists – The Urban Housing Program from Stalin to Khrushchev” Book Review: This book challenges two commonly held beliefs about the Soviet housing program. Firstly, it refutes the idea that the housing program was solely a post-Stalin reform by discussing its wartime and late Stalinist origins and its continuation under Khrushchev. Secondly, it argues against the notion that the Soviet housing stock was a uniform state-owned entity by examining its diverse ownership and management structures. Written for European historians, Soviet scholars, and students, this book provides a new perspective on the history and development of the Soviet housing program.

“Policies, Programs and People That Shape Innovation in Housing” Book Review: This is a book aimed at reducing the complexity of innovation processes in housing and construction. The author addresses important questions regarding the widespread adoption of green building practices and improvements in community sustainability. This book is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to gain knowledge about housing and residential construction, as it offers insights into the innovative practices that can create sustainable homes and communities.

“Civil Society and Participatory Governance: Municipal Councils and Social Housing Programs in Brazil (Routledge Studies in Latin American Politics)” Book Review: This book offers a detailed analysis of the politics and social dynamics that shape Brazil’s social housing policy. Through a comparative study of civil society and participatory governance, Donaghy provides insight into the challenges and opportunities of housing policy in Brazil. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the political and social aspects of housing policy in Brazil and Latin America.

“Inclusionary Housing in International Perspective” Book Review: This is a book that examines affordable housing programs in seven countries. The author adopts a comparative methodology that combines theoretical analysis with practical applications. The book provides valuable insights into how to create sustainable cities and provide affordable housing to everyone. It is a useful resource for anyone interested in learning about the challenges and opportunities of creating inclusive housing policies around the world.

“The Empirical Validation of House Energy Rating (HER) Software for Lightweight Housing in Cool Temperate Climates (Springer Theses)” Book Review: The target audience for this book includes individuals seeking knowledge about Her software and AccuRate software. The book features a study that presents the findings of graphical and statistical analyses of variations between measured and simulated data from three test buildings in Launceston, Tasmania. The author also explores potential links between variations in all zones and external factors such as outside air temperature, wind speed, global and diffuse solar radiation, and the ground model. Additionally, the book provides insight into the methodology employed during the research.

“Housing, Welfare and the State in Europe: A Comparative Analysis of Britain, France and Germany” Book Review: This book is a thorough examination of the role of the state in housing provision in Europe. The book is divided into six chapters, each exploring different aspects of the topic, including housing policies and the welfare state in each country. The first chapter provides an overview of the housing market and welfare systems in Europe, while the following chapters delve into the specifics of each country’s approach to housing policy.

“Stretched Thin: Poor Families, Welfare Work, and Welfare Reform” Book Review: This book is intended for those seeking information and statistics regarding impoverished families and their way of life. The author evaluates welfare reform from a perspective that accounts for gender, race, class, and the various power dynamics and controls within the welfare state. The book utilizes ethnographic observations, in-depth interviews with impoverished families and welfare workers, as well as survey data collected over two years from more than 750 families. By reflecting on a critical moment in policy change, the author proposes adjustments to welfare policy in the United States to more effectively address the needs of impoverished families and the nation.

“Family Homelessness: Causes, Consequences and the Policy Response in England” Book Review: This book is written for individuals interested in understanding the causes and consequences of family homelessness and potential solutions to prevent it. It serves as an up-to-date reference for policymakers and practitioners involved in homelessness, housing, and children’s services in both local and central government, as well as the voluntary sector. The book also provides background information on housing and education policies to aid comprehension. Additionally, the author discusses the harmful impacts of poverty and mental illness on parenting.

“Mortgages: Policies, Proposals and Trends (Housing Issues, Laws and Programs)” Book Review: This book is intended for those seeking comprehensive information on mortgages. It contains an overview of the evolving residential mortgage market, focusing on trends in housing prices, home-ownership, mortgage characteristics, and financing. The author thoroughly examines legislation and regulations aimed at promoting the efficient operation of the mortgage market.