Molly Bolan

Aug 5, 2024 | route-fifty.com | Molly Bolan

A quick scroll through TikTok reveals, anecdotally at least, that Generation Z is pretty cynical when it comes to homeownership. Posts run the gamut from creators complaining about investment companies scooping up homes and pricing out first-time homebuyers to those sharing surveys that find income, home prices and savings as barriers to obtaining that starter home.

Jul 10, 2024 | route-fifty.com | Molly Bolan

Whatever name they go by—granny flats, in-law suites, backyard bungalows, casitas—accessory dwelling units in California have exploded over the last several years. The number of these small homes permitted each year increased by more than 15,000% between 2016 and 2022. Last year, 1 in 5 of all new homes in the Golden State were ADUs.It’s a rare success story in the midst of a nationwide affordable housing shortage, and one that other states want to replicate.

Jun 20, 2024 | route-fifty.com | Molly Bolan

When children grow up and move out, their bedrooms often get a second life as a workout room, a craft space or an office. But empty nesters are also growing older, and soon enough those extra rooms—along with the rest of the house—can become, at best, underused, and at worst, a burden to maintain for those who want to age at home. But what if those extra rooms could see a third life as an affordable housing option?

Feb 8, 2024 | route-fifty.com | Molly Bolan

Many Americans are reconsidering their relationship with cars now that it’s clear they’re bad for the environment. That’s old news. But parking—and especially the expectation of easy and free parking—is also partly behind the country’s housing shortage, putting more pressure on state and local leaders to rethink the ubiquitous parking infrastructure.

Feb 6, 2024 | route-fifty.com | Molly Bolan

The Milken Institute today released the latest edition of its Best Performing Cities Index, a report that ranks hundreds of metropolitan areas on economic performance. The Austin, Texas, area ranked No. 1 among large cities for the first time since 2013, ending the three-year reign of Provo, Utah. Idaho Falls, Idaho, was top among small cities, performing well across nearly all metrics.