Ep. 122: An Overview of Preapproved Building Plan Programs with Seva Rodnyansky

Preapproved plan programs promise to speed up permitting and lower the cost of building new homes. How do they work—and are they working? Seva Rodnyansky shares findings from a review of more than 40 existing programs.

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Show notes:

• Rodnyansky, S., & Su, D. (2026). Preapproved Building Plans Help Cities Improve Housing Affordability. Pew Charitable Trusts.
• Animated intro for The Irony of Fate, which depicts architects having their building designs rendered increasingly bland and uniform by Soviet bureaucrats.
• The pattern book for New South Wales, Australia, with plans for buildings up to 216 units!
• The province-specific housing catalog produced by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.