Best International Code Council Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 101: Beyond Zoning with John Zeanah and Andre D. Jones (Incentives Series pt. 4) 1:10:15

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1d ago1:10:15

1:10:15

Your city just legalized “missing middle” housing in its zoning code… now what? With Memphis, Tennessee, as a case study, John Zeanah and Andre D. Jones discuss the hidden non-zoning barriers to developing small apartment buildings — and how to lower them. This is part 4 of our series on misaligned incentives in housing policy. Show notes: Zeanah, …

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Episode 65: Lahaina's Fire and the Future of Resilient Building in Hawaii 52:29

3d ago52:29

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In early August 2023, Hawaii wildfires destroyed over 2,200 structures, caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damage, and most tragically claimed the lives of over 100 people. In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we gathered key experts to discuss the Lahaina fire and Hawaii wildfires, emphasizing building safety and codes — how they shaped the …

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Ep. 100: The Big 100!! Listener Questions, (Re-)Meet the Hosts, and Book Club 1:28:19

15d ago1:28:19

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The hosts gather to celebrate the 100th episode of UCLA Housing Voice. We also answer listener questions and announce the first book for our book club. Show notes: Appelbaum, Y. (2025). Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity. Penguin Random House. Appelbaum, Y. (2025 February 10). How Progressives Froz…

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Ep. 99: The ‘International’ Code Council with Jesse Zwick (Incentives Series pt. 3) 43:54

1M ago43:54

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North American buildings are built different — literally. Councilmember Jesse Zwick explains how the organization behind our unusual standards is built to fail, and he makes the case for a new approach. This is part 3 of our series on misaligned incentives in housing policy. Show notes: Zwick, J. (2025). Out of Code: The Hidden Costs of US Building…

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Ep. 98: Elevators with Stephen Smith (Incentives Series pt. 2) 1:15:24

1M ago1:15:24

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Elevators in the U.S. and Canada cost 3–5 times as much as elevators in other high-income countries. Stephen Smith explains why and how our well-intentioned elevator standards make cities less safe and accessible. This is part two of our series on misaligned incentives in housing policy. Show notes: Smith, S. (2024). Elevators. Center for Building …

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Ep. 97: Single-Stair Buildings and Eco-Districts with Michael Eliason (Incentives Series pt. 1) 1:23:25

2M ago1:23:25

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This is the first episode of our series on misaligned incentives in housing policy. Michael Eliason shares insights from his book, Building for People, on building code reforms and eco-district redevelopment projects throughout Europe. Show notes: Eliason, M. (2024). Building for People: Designing Livable, Affordable, Low-Carbon Communities. Island…

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Ep. 96: Direct-to-Tenant Rent Assistance with Vincent Reina 1:10:08

2M ago1:10:08

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Housing vouchers provide critical assistance to low-income renters, but roughly 40% of vouchers go unused, in part due to difficulty finding landlords to accept them. Vincent Reina shares findings from a pilot program that instead gives cash assistance directly to tenants. Abstract: This article examines a new rental assistance program in Philadelp…

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A few announcements! 3:07

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Our next interview will be out soon. In the meantime, we're asking for listener questions for a special recording celebrating our 100th episode)(!!), and ideas for a UCLA Housing Voice book club. Send 'em to [email protected] UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

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Ep. 95: Low-Rise Multifamily with Tobias Peter 1:05:47

3M ago1:05:47

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Seattle’s low-rise multifamily zones have produced more than 20,000 townhomes over the past 30 years. Tobias Peter discusses the impacts on affordability, homeownership, and more — including lessons for other cities. Show notes: Peter, T., Pinto, E., & Tracy, J. (2025). Low-Rise Multifamily and Housing Supply: A Case Study of Seattle. Journal of Ho…

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Encore Episode: Housing Vouchers with Rob Collinson 1:09:36

4M ago1:09:36

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Episode Summary: Every year, more than two million low-income households receive rental assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher program, a federal program that helps renters afford housing on the private market. Currently, only about one-quarter of those eligible for vouchers receive them due to lack of program funding, though Democrats and t…

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Ep. 94: Ride-hailing for People with Disabilities with Abigail Cochran (Road Scholars pt. 4) 1:05:18

5M ago1:05:18

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For people with disabilities, ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft can be a lifeline or a pain — or both. Abigail Cochran shares what she learned from individuals with disabilities about what’s working and what’s not. Show Notes: Cochran, A. L. (2022). How and why do people with disabilities use app-based ridehailing? Case Studies on Transport …

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Episode 64: Beyond Compliance: Elevating Construction Through Partnership 46:12

5M ago46:12

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In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we explore building science in the International Residential Code® and the need for collaboration between builders and code officials – emphasizing the importance of smarter building practices. Host Beau Hanson sits down with home builder Matt Risinger, host of the The Build Show and founding partner of Ris…

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Ep. 93: Equity Requirements in US Shared Micromobility Programs with Anne Brown (Road Scholars pt. 3) 1:04:36

5M ago1:04:36

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Shared micromobility programs offering scooters and bikes have exploded across the US in recent years, but the benefits haven't been shared evenly. Anne Brown joins to discuss the equity goals and mandates cities are requiring of operators, and which seem to be most effective. Show Notes: Brown, A., & Howell, A. (2024). Mobility for the people: Equ…

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Ep. 92: How Housing Influences Transportation Choices with Adam Millard-Ball (Road Scholars pt. 2) 50:16

6M ago50:16

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Do people drive less because they live in buildings that don’t provide parking, or do they live in buildings that don’t provide parking because they drive less? That question has huge implications for how we build and rebuild our cities, yet researchers have struggled for decades to answer it conclusively. UCLA professor Adam Millard-Ball joins us …

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Ep 91: Neighborhood Change and Transit Ridership with Mike Manville (Road Scholars pt. 1) 51:40

6M ago51:40

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Many studies have looked at the effects of new transit infrastructure on housing prices, gentrification, and other neighborhood changes. But how does housing policy — specifically rising rents and worsening affordability — affect transit? Mike Manville takes the guest seat in the first episode of our four-part series on transportation research: Roa…

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Episode 63: Tales From the Code Development Process 40:16

7M ago40:16

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In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we build on our previous episode, How to Participate in the Code Development Process, by diving deeper into real-world experiences from those who've actively contributed to shaping the codes we use today. Featuring familiar voices from the Code Council's code development process, our expert guests share per…

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Episode 62: How to Participate in the Code Development Process 55:37

7M ago55:37

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Season 7 of the ICC Pulse Podcast is here, and to kick things off we're exploring the ins and outs of the International Code Council's code development process – just in time for the 2025 Committee Action Hearings (April 27 - May 6, 2025)! Learn what the process entails, how it shapes the building safety codes we rely on and discover how you can ge…

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Ep 90: How to Evaluate Zoning Reforms with Aaron Barrall pt. 2 1:04:34

7M ago1:04:34

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When a city proposes zoning changes, how do you know whether they’ll be effective? Aaron Barrall shares how we approached the problem in Los Angeles, with lessons for similar upzoning efforts around the world. This is the second episode in a two-part conversation. Show notes: Barrall, A., & Phillips, S. (2024). CHIPing In: Evaluating the effects of…

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Road Scholars Trailer 0:59

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By UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

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Ep 89: How to Evaluate Zoning Reforms with Aaron Barrall pt. 1 1:03:57

7M ago1:03:57

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When a city proposes zoning changes, how do you know whether they’ll be effective? Aaron Barrall shares how we approached the problem in Los Angeles, with lessons for similar upzoning efforts around the world. This is the first episode in a two-part conversation. Show notes: Barrall, A., & Phillips, S. (2024). CHIPing In: Evaluating the effects of …

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Ep 88: Improving Voucher Outcomes with Dionissi Aliprantis 1:07:57

8M ago1:07:57

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Helping people move to higher-opportunity neighborhoods requires knowing which neighborhoods are actually better. Are we any good at it? Dionissi Aliprantis shares his research on measuring neighborhood opportunity and the rent assistance program features that could meaningfully reduce racial segregation. Show notes: Aliprantis, D., Martin, H., & T…

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Ep 87: Rental Voucher Lease-Up Rates with Sarah Strochak 49:25

8M ago49:25

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Housing Choice vouchers help lower-income tenants pay rent, yet only about 60% of issued vouchers result in a successful lease-up. Sarah Strochak joins to share how lease-up rates vary for different groups and markets, and how reforming voucher policies could improve the lease-up process and get more people into affordable homes. Show notes: Ellen,…

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Ep 86: Where the Hood At? with Mike Lens 1:17:01

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How have conditions changed since 1970 in neighborhoods where Black residents are the largest racial or ethnic group? Mike Lens wrote a whole book on the subject: Where the Hood At? Fifty Years of Change in Black Neighborhoods. He takes the guest mic to share what he learned. Book summary: Substantial gaps exist between Black Americans and other ra…

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Ep 85: Wildfires, Displacement and Housing Prices with Hannah Hennighausen 58:57

9M ago58:57

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On January 7th, the Palisades and Eaton fires erupted in Los Angeles, killing dozens of people, displacing tens of thousands, and destroying more than 15,000 structures. What will this mean for housing affordability in the already-strained region? Hannah Hennighausen joins to share her research on the 2018 Camp Fire's effect on housing prices and m…

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Ep 84: A Review of Rent Control Research with Konstantin Kholodilin 1:06:25

10M ago1:06:25

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Rent control is one of the most hotly debated housing policies, and also one of the most researched. Konstantin Kholodilin reviewed over 200 rent control studies, dating back decades and spanning six continents, and he joins us to give an overview of their results. Show notes: Kholodilin, K. A. (2024). Rent control effects through the lens of empir…

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Encore Episode: Family-Friendly Urbanism with Louis Thomas 1:07:15

11M ago1:07:15

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In most of the U.S., cities are for singles, roommates, and childless couples, and the suburbs are for raising kids. That’s not true of much of the rest of the world, and perhaps the nearest example of family-friendly urbanism can be found just a few miles to the north, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Vancouver’s under-15 population fell by one per…

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Episode 61: The Noble Path to Master Code Professional 38:39

11M ago38:39

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In the final episode of Season 6 of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we discuss the Master Code Professional (MCP) credential offered by the International Code Council, explaining its criteria, significance and the professional growth opportunities it provides. The episode features insights from industry professionals, personal stories of achieving MCP statu…

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Ep 83: Local Effects of Upzoning with Simon Büchler and Elena Lutz 1:01:15

11M ago1:01:15

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Urban upzonings have been rare across the world, and many of the most significant occurred only in the past 5–10 years or less. One exception is the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, where cities and towns have been relaxing land use restrictions for over 25 years. Simon Büchler and Elena Lutz share their research on the long-term effects of these ref…

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Ep 82: Lessons From the UK Housing Shortage with Anthony Breach 1:03:14

12M ago1:03:14

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What happens to housing quality and affordability when any proposed development can be vetoed? Can the public sector reliably deliver most of the housing that people need? If it can, should it? Ant Breach shares insights from the Centre for Cities’ report on the United Kingdom’s homebuilding crisis. Show notes: Watling, S., & Breach, A. (2023). The…

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Episode 60: The Code Council's Past, Present and Future 50:35

12M ago50:35

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In this bonus 30th anniversary episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we sat down with three influential leaders in the building safety industry to explore the history of the Code Council, advice for growth and success in the industry and the evolving landscape of building safety. Recorded live at the 2024 International Code Council Annual Conference in…

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Ep 81: How New Zealand Passed Its Ambitious Zoning Reforms with Eleanor West 1:10:55

12M ago1:10:55

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In a previous episode we discussed Auckland’s unprecedented upzoning and its effect on housing production and land prices. This time we’re joined by Eleanor West to talk about the political, social, and economic conditions that made the reforms possible — not only in Auckland, but across New Zealand. Show notes: West, E. (2024). Up-zoning New Zeala…

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Ep 80: Inclusionary Housing Goes International with Anna Granath Hansson 58:38

1y ago58:38

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Inclusionary zoning policies are commonly used to produce affordable housing and “social mix” in the U.S., but what about in Europe, where public housing and strong social welfare programs have historically met those needs? Anna Granath Hansson shares research on emerging inclusionary housing policies in the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Norway…

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Episode 59: Behind the Scenes at American Plumber Stories 42:06

1y ago42:06

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In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we highlight American Plumber Stories, a docuseries featuring plumbers across the nation who share their passion, career beginnings, advice for future plumbers and the rewards of their trade. Listeners will enjoy the personal history of our host, Beau Hansen's six-generation plumbing family, the impact of A…

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Ep 79: Who Pays For Inclusionary Zoning with Shane Phillips 1:07:20

1y ago1:07:20

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Inclusionary zoning policies use the market to produce affordable housing, but nothing comes for free. So who pays? Shane takes the guest seat to discuss his analysis of IZ in Los Angeles, making the case that it’s not developers or high-income renters who bear the cost, but all renters — poor, middle income, and wealthy alike. Show notes: Phillips…

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Encore Episode: Inclusionary Zoning with Emily Hamilton 1:05:34

1y ago1:05:34

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Cities have lived with exclusionary zoning for decades, if not generations. Is inclusionary zoning the answer? Inclusionary zoning, or IZ, requires developers to set aside a share of units in new buildings for low- or moderate-income households, seeking to increase the supply of affordable homes and integrate neighborhoods racially and socioeconomi…

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Episode 58: Behind the Scenes at ICC-ES/NTA and ICC-ES Labs 40:58

1y ago40:58

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In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we dive into the roles, functions and importance of the International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) and ICC-ES Labs in the construction industry, featuring expert insights on evaluation, certification and industry innovations. Listeners will gain a comprehensive understanding of how these organiz…

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Encore Episode: Market-Rate Development and Neighborhood Rents with Evan Mast 46:53

1y ago46:53

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We’ve long known that building more homes helps keep prices in check at the regional or metro area level, but what about the house down the street? Evan Mast shares two research studies that shed light on this important and controversial question. Originally aired in 2021. Updated show notes. Show notes: Mast, E. (2023). JUE Insight: The effect of …

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Ep 78: Building Height and Construction Costs with Anthony Orlando 1:03:46

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Building taller lets us fit more homes on valuable urban land, but more homes doesn’t necessarily mean more affordable. Anthony Orlando joins to share his research on why taller isn’t always better — and the circumstances where it definitely is. Show notes: Eriksen, M. D., & Orlando, A. W. (2022). Returns to scale in residential construction: The m…

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Episode 57: The I-Codes Go AI: How Artificial Intelligence is Enhancing Building Safety 43:36

1y ago43:36

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In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and building safety, highlighting its implications for enhancing risk prediction and prevention, real-time monitoring, maintenance and inspection. Featuring guest experts, the discussion covers traditional building safety methods, the application of AI …

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Ep 77: Upzoning With Strings Attached with Jacob Krimmel and Maxence Valentin 1:00:06

1y ago1:00:06

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Changing zoning rules to allow taller and denser buildings may cause land values to go up, and public officials may try to “capture” this added value by requiring affordable units in new developments. But what happens when costs and benefits are out of balance? Seattle offers a cautionary tale. Show notes: Krimmel, J., & Wang, B. (2023). Upzoning W…

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Ep 76: How Housing Supply Responds to Rising Demand with Nathaniel Baum-Snow 1:05:03

1+ y ago1:05:03

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When the demand for housing rises, which kinds of neighborhoods respond by building more homes, and which just get more expensive? Nathaniel Baum-Snow joins to discuss his research on the different responses of urban, suburban, and exurban neighborhoods, and the many forms “supply” can take. Show notes: Baum-Snow, N., & Han, L. (2024). The Microgeo…

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Episode 56: Accessing Federal Grant Funding to Update Your Building Codes 43:31

1+ y ago43:31

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The ICC Pulse Podcast is back with a new season that offers listeners the inside scoop on the International Code Council and the building safety industry. Welcoming new host, Beau Hansen, Deputy Building Official for the City of Beaumont, Texas, Episode 56 discusses the critical role of federal grants in enhancing building safety and community resi…

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Ep 75: Segregating the Built Environment with Ann Owens 1:00:11

1+ y ago1:00:11

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We often talk about residential segregation by race or income, but we rarely explore it in the literal sense — as in segregation of residences: of one kind of housing from another. Ann Owens joins to discuss her research on how segregation manifests itself in our built environment in cities and neighborhoods across the U.S. Show notes: Owens, A. (2…

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Ep 74: Racial (and Spatial) Disparities in Rental Assistance with Andrew Fenelon 53:07

1+ y ago53:07

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Black households make up a disproportionate share of rent assistance recipients. Andrew Fenelon discusses how a “two-tiered approach to housing support" favoring white homeowners helped create the disparity. Show notes: Fenelon, A. (2024). Race, housing policy, and the demographic and spatial structure of modern housing programs: Who receives renta…

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Ep 73: French For-Profit Social Housing Developers with Julie Pollard 1:07:05

1+ y ago1:07:05

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Before the 2000s, French real estate developers were prohibited from building social housing. Today, they build more than half of it. Julie Pollard shares how two seemingly unrelated policies came together to make this rapid shift possible. Show notes: Pollard, J. (2023). The political conditions of the rise of real-estate developers in French hous…

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Ep 72: Notes on Tokyo’s Housing, Land Use, and Urban Planning with Shane Phillips 1:00:32

1+ y ago1:00:32

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In this episode, Shane combines insights from a recent trip to Tokyo with official data on housing production, affordability, land use policy, and more. Show notes: Twitter thread of photos and observations during my trip. Episode 16 of the UCLA Housing Voice Podcast with Jiro Yoshida, on Japanese Housing Policy Japanese population by prefecture. J…

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Ep 71: How China Created a Housing Market with Lan Deng 1:08:06

1+ y ago1:08:06

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Each year, more money is invested in China's housing market than any other. Lan Deng shares how the market was shaped and the heavy role the government still plays, and what housing in China looks like today. Show notes: Deng, L., & Chen, J. (2019). Market development, state intervention, and the dynamics of new housing investment in China. Journal…

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Encore Episode: Japanese Housing Policy with Jiro Yoshida 1:03:02

1+ y ago1:03:02

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For this episode, we take a trip to Tokyo to learn from the successes and shortcomings of Japanese housing policy. Known for high rates of production — Tokyo builds five times more housing than California, per capita — and relatively affordable housing, Japan also struggles with poor maintenance and rapid degradation of its buildings. Professor Jir…

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Ep 70: Overcoming Resistance to Density with David Kaufmann and Michael Wicki 1:11:38

1+ y ago1:11:38

1:11:38

What makes people more or less supportive of dense housing in their communities? David Kaufmann and Michael Wicki surveyed 12,000 residents in six of the largest U.S. and European cities to find out. Show notes: Wicki, M., Hofer, K., & Kaufmann, D. (2022). Planning instruments enhance the acceptance of urban densification. Proceedings of the Nation…

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Ep 69: Low-Income Housing and 'Crowd Out' with Michael Eriksen 57:23

1+ y ago57:23

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Subsidized affordable housing development reduces costs for lower-income households directly. It also reduces costs indirectly, by increasing the overall supply of housing — or does it? Michael Eriksen joins to discuss the issue of “crowd out” in affordable housing production. Show notes: Eriksen, M. D., & Rosenthal, S. S. (2010). Crowd out effects…