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IN THE UNITED STATES
California:
Alamo
East Bay Times: Contra Costa supervisors reject plan for huge home on Alamo hilltop [6/5/2018]
Los Angeles
The Wall Street Journal: L.A. Developers Have a Big Problem: Too Many New Megamansions [5/30/2019]
The Real Deal: Go big and go home: Inside LA’s mansion expansion quest [3/12/2019]
Vanity Fair: The Hadid-Family Patriarch Is Battling His Bel Air Neighbors Over a Half-Built Mansion [11/14/2018]
The Wall Street Journal: The War of the Los Angeles Megamansions [9/6/2018]
CityLab: McMansions are killing L.A.'s urban forest [5/4/2017]
CBS Los Angeles: L.A. council approves limits on McMansions [3/1/2017]
Los Angeles Times: L.A. lawmakers finalize new measures to curb 'mansionization' [3/1/2017]
Curbed Los Angeles: Could the anti-development Measure S tank L.A.'s economy? [12/16/2017]
Los Angeles Patch: L.A. city council votes to limit size of 'McMansions' [12/7/2016]
Los Angeles Times: L.A. has a growing mansionization problem [7/28/2016]
Los Angeles Times: L.A. takes a step toward tighter rules to curb mansionization [7/14/2016]
City Watch: Lessons from Beverly Grove's successful fight against McMansions [6/30/2016]
The Telegraph: Record $500 million mega-mansion being built in Los Angeles [5/27/2015]
Los Angeles Daily News: No more ‘McMansions’ in Los Angeles for two years, says council [3/26/2015]
Los Angeles Times: Attempt to tighten 'McMansion' law spurs outcry [2/24/2015]
Montecito
Daily Mail: 'She's created an uproar': Gwyneth Paltrow enrages neighbors with plans to demolish $5 million mansion to build 'too big, too tall and incompatible California home' [7/3/2017]
Napa Valley
Napa Valley Register: Napa County sees McMansions as farmland threat [11/1/2018]
Redwood City
The Daily Journal: Redwood City’s home size rules moving forward [6/20/2019]
San Carlos
The Daily Journal: San Carlos adopts changes to home sizes [10/24/2018]
The Daily Journal: Debate surrounding home-size rules wearing on in San Carlos [10/10/2018]
San Francisco
PlanetIZen: Property Owner Who Tore Down Neutra-Designed House Ordered to Build Exact Replica [12/21/2018]
Colorado
Aspen
Aspen Daily News: When is enough, enough? [6/16/2019]
Aspen Times: Tony Vagneur: Bigger isn’t always better for houses; it’s time to downsize [5/31/2019]
Green Building Advisor: Colorado County Ponders Lower Limit on House Size [3/12/2019]
Aspen Times: Pitkin County’s max home size may be reduced [3/4/2019]
Aspen Times: Super-size my house: County's homes twice average size; development rush causes big impact [8/6/2006]
Aspen Times: New house-size caps for Aspen [5/8/2003]
Boulder
The Daily Camera: Boulder City Council to provide feedback on large homes, lots project [5/25/2019]
The Daily Camera: Boulder abandons McMansion ban - for now [10/17/2018]
The Daily Camera: From the Editorial Advisory Board: McMansions [9/29/2018]
The Daily Camera: Boulder council has 'appetite' for limiting home size in bid to rid Boulder of McMansions [9/25/2018]
The Daily Camera: Boulder compatible development rules take effect for houses Monday [12/31/2009]
San Juan County
Silverton Standard: County poised to ban trophy homes [2/2/2012]
Florida
Anna Maria
ABC Tampa Bay: Anna Maria leaders worried about "McMansions" on the island [6/5/2019]
Bradenton Herald: Anna Maria Island’s beach bungalows, and a way of life, giving way to ‘McMansions’ [5/29/2019]
St. Petersburg
Tampa Bay Times: In fight against McMansions, Snell Isle residents get a victory—for now [1/7/2016]
Hawaii
Honolulu
Star Advertiser: Mayor Kirk Caldwell allows bill regulating ‘monster’ homes to become law [7/5/2019]
Hawaii News Now: Neighbors at odds over years-long construction of Kaneohe mega-home [10/23/2018]
Honolulu Civil Beat: Denby Fawcett: Time To Cut Honolulu’s Monster Houses Down To Size [10/2/2018]
Hawaii News Now: Monster homes are gobbling up Oahu neighborhoods—and it's all legal [8/3/2018]
Hawaii News Now: The fix to illegal monster homes? Councilman says tear them down [5/1/2018]
Star Advertiser: Mayor signs bill temporarily banning permits for new 'monster houses' [3/13/2018]
Star Advertiser: Kaimuki resident documents 'monster' houses [2/11/2018]
Hawaii Public Radio: Honolulu City Council Committee advances "monster homes" bill [1/23/2018]
KHON 2: What's with all the big houses? Some are apartment buildings in disguise [2/7/2017]
Oahu
Star Advertiser: ‘Monster houses’ bill is criticized as not addressing the cause of the problem [10/15/2018]
Star Advertiser: ‘Monster’ homes continue with total impunity [9/7/2018]
Hawaii News Now: City orders 'monster homes' builder to stop work on 17 projects [5/31/2018]
Illinois
Chicago
Loop North News: Are Chicago home buyers starting to believe less house is more? [3/24/2019]
Hindsdale
Chicago Tribune: The McMansion's day has come and gone [9/7/2016]
Kansas
Prairie Village
KCUR 89.3: Prairie Village City Council Approves Home Building Guidelines [10/1/2018]
The Kansas City Star: Prairie Village council sends home construction guidelines to planning commissioners [8/7/2018]
The Kansas City Star: Prairie Village residents focus on teardowns, new construction at first of 3 meetings [7/10/2018]
The Kansas City Star: Mayor Laura Wassmer speaks with the Kansas City Star [7/5/2018]
KCUR 89.3: Prairie Village home teardowns rankle residents [6/13/2018]
KCUR 89.3: Big homes, small lots: new rules for tearing down old houses in Prairie Village [6/13/2018]
The Kansas City Star: Teardowns have divided Prairie Village. Now residents have a chance to weigh in [6/6/2018]
The Kansas City Star: Prairie Village is tearing down homes. Is it progress or problem for neighborhoods? [10/25/2017]
The Kansas City Star: ‘We don’t want to be Olathe’: Prairie Village planners pass tear-down rules [6/9/2016]
Maryland
Bethesda
Washington Post: These neighbors spent $2 million to block a McMansion. Will their bet pay off? [12/20/2015]
Frederick
The Frederick News Post: Neighbors rallying against 'McMansion' on Magnolia Avenue in Frederick [7/11/2017]
Massachusetts
Belmont
Wicked Local Belmont: Neighbors [show] support for permit for home in Kendall Gardens [10/10/2017]
Boston
Boston Globe: Boston’s new luxury towers appear to house few local residents [9/10/2018]
Braintree
The Patriot Ledger: Braintree Zoning Changes Have Whole Town Talking [3/23/2019]
Chatham
The Cape Cod Chronicle: Plan Board Explores Limiting Size Of Residential Structures [2/27/2019]
Chilmark
The Vineyard Gazette: Chilmark overwhelmingly passes bylaw to limit home size [4/23/2013]
Edgartown
The Vineyard Gazette: Edgartown planning board faces dilemma on size of mansions [10/24/2002]
Falmouth
The Falmouth Enterprise: Accessory Apartment Unravels Plan For Mega-Mansion In Falmouth [11/22/2018]
Hyannis
Cape Cod Times: Housing report: Cape on precipice [10/25/2018]
Nantucket
The Inquirer and Mirror: Judge upholds approval of Hither Creek home [7/10/2017]
Needham
Needham Wicked Local: ‘McMansions’ force downsizers and young families out of Needham [2/6/2019]
Provincetown
Cape Cod Times: Considering character [9/1/2018]
Cape Cod Times: Provincetown zoning bylaw decision faces SJC appeal [7/1/2018]
Sandwich
The Sandwich Enterprise: Sandwich ConCom Looks At Limiting Beach Development [5/30/2019]
Sharon
Boston Globe: As houses get bigger, Sharon may regulate large dwellings [2/23/2012]
Truro
Wicked Local Wellfleet: Truro ZBA grants Solomont variance while Letendre withdraws [12/3/2018]
Wicked Local Provincetown: Truro limits giant houses — just in time [11/29/2018]
Wicked Local Wellfleet: Truro OKs house size limits, pot regulations [11/15/2018]
Wicked Local Wellfleet: Holt blasts ZBA over big house dispute [11/8/2018]
Wicked Local Wellfleet: STM to vote on house size limits and pot bylaws [11/8/2018]
Cape Cod Times: Truro to consider limits on house size [8/14/2018]
Wicked Local Truro: Truro house size limit designed to prevent ‘viagratecture’ [8/9/2018]
Cape Cod Times: Truro town meeting approves restriction on house sizes in Seashore [4/25/2017]
UMass Law Review: Cape Cod town rebels against "starter castles" [10/29/2016]
Wicked Local Truro: Truro planning board votes to limit Seashore house size [10/7/2016]
Wicked Local Wellfleet: Truro opens a debate on limiting the size of houses [8/17/2016]
Boston.com: Mansion demolition order has Truro residents debating: Building rises over site favored by Edward Hopper [2/3/2012]
Minnesota
Eagan
Star Tribune: With zoning change, Eagan tries to encourage building of smaller homes [3/18/2019]
Minneapolis
Star Tribune: Tighter limits on new home sizes clear initial hurdle [7/29/2014]
New Jersey
Chatham
Tap Into Chatham: Chatham Township Committee Asks Planning Board to Look at Existing Limits on House Size in Relation to Lot Size; 3-2 Vote [3/5/2019]
Long Beach Island
The Philadelphia Inquirer: As McMansions rise down the Shore, long gone are the humble surf shacks [5/26/2019]
Madison
Madison Eagle: Zoning changes for the greater good [7/7/2018]
Montclair
NorthJersey.com: If this Montclair mansion gets built, it will be bigger than the White House [3/20/2019]
New York
Brooklyn
CityLimits.org: Bushwick Community Plan Calls for Changes in Zoning—and in the Process [9/26/2018]
The Hamptons
Bloomberg: Hamptons buyers battle over cheaper homes—that is, under $3.3 million [10/26/2017]
Bloomberg: Rich Hamptons buyers don't want mega-mansions [8/11/2017]
New York Times: Razing the Hamptons [4/14/2017]
Newsday: Oversized mansions targeted in new laws restricting home size in Hamptons villages [6/7/2015]
New York Times: Hamptons McMansions herald a return of excess [8/26/2013]
Manhattan
The Wall Street Journal: New York’s Mansion Tax Could Explain Blitz of Big-Ticket Sales [6/13/2019]
Sag Harbor
Sag Harbor Express: East End effort pops up to counter "not in my backyard" mindset [1/10/2018]
Washington Post: Historically black beach enclaves are fighting to save their history and identity [7/27/2017]
New York Times: Investors move next door, unsettling a black beachside enclave [8/25/2016]
Vanity Fair: The battle of Sag Harbor: historic homes, pricey penthouses, and scores of subpoenas [7/13/2016]
27East: Sag Harbor Village Board Adopts Law Limiting House Sizes [4/26/2016]
Sag Harbor Express: Call for Sag Harbor moratorium as neighbors cry foul over reconstruction of Main Street house [5/6/2015]
Southampton
Newsday: Southampton may alter code to limit size of new homes in village [2/25/2018]
New York Post: Hamptons’ largest home hits the market for $35 million [7/10/2017]
27East: Southampton Village proposes new limits on house height [6/28/2015]
Southold
The Suffolk Times: Equal Time: McMansions should not be our future [5/26/2019]
North Carolina
Dare
Coastal Review Online: Dare Towns Look to Manage ‘Mega-Houses’ [11/15/2018]
Duck
Outer Banks Sentinel: Duck moving to limit house sizes [8/7/2018]
Outer Banks Sentinel: Duck tackles house sizes [3/6/2018]
Kill Devil Hills
The Outer Banks Voice: New bid to limit house sizes in KDH faces an uphill battle [6/27/2017]
Southern Shores
The Outer Banks Voice: Southern Shores sets 6,000-square-foot limit on new houses [1/25/2016]
The Outer Banks Voice: Southern Shores will look at changes to address mega-houses [12/1/2015]
Oregon
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Sustainable Life: Columbia Gorge commission reviewing future of scenic area [5/31/2018]
Portland
Koin6: Density vs. livability: public comments on Portland Infill [5/15/2018]
CNU Public Square: Portland considers anti-McMansion measures [11/23/2016]
Sightline Institute: The Portland Plan: down with McMansions, up with abundant housing options [11/15/2016]
Portland Tribune: Goodbye McMansions, hello more density? [6/9/2016]
Wallowa County
Wallowa County Chieftain: Battle brewing over ridge top 'trophy homes' [8/14/2002]
Pennsylvania
East Stroudsburg
Financial Post: Millions of Americans are still trapped in debt-logged homes 10 years after the housing crisis brought the nation to its knees [9/15/2018]
Rhode Island
Block Island
Block Island Times: New laws to stop mega houses [2/12/2008]
Charlestown
EcoRI: Planners concerned new rules could McMansion R.I.'s coast [6/14/2018]
Middletown
Newport Daily News: Middletown Town Council scraps house height limit proposal [2/6/2018]
Newport Daily News: House size limits now up to Middletown council [10/18/2017]
Newport Daily News: Proposed change would place limits on size of houses in Middletown [8/2/2016]
Newport
The Providence Journal: Newport neighbors object to proposed chateau-like home [12/11/2018]
US News: Neighbors Object to Planned Chateau House in Newport [12/11/2018]
The Providence Journal: Newport house is a pariah, a ‘horror’ to some [1/15/2017]
New York Times: Newport, a city that loves its mansions, shudders at its newest one [12/4/2016]
Texas
Spring
Houston Chronicle: In The Woodlands, a four-year renovation has created a 'monster' house, neighbors say [5/15/2018]
West Lake Hills
Community Impact Newspaper: West Lake Hills city officials grapple with large homes, look at options to limit house sizes [4/10/2019]
Utah
Zion National Park
The Salt Lake Tribune: Zion National Park will acquire a private land parcel to fend off any development — but 3,400 acres remain at risk [10/8/2018]
Washington
Mercer Island
My Northwest: Mercer Island limits size of single-family homes [9/20/2017]
Seattle Times: Mercer Island, land of the luxury home, cracks down on building mansions [9/20/2017]
Seattle
My Northwest: ‘McMansion’ ban, new rules for backyard cottages enter home stretch [6/19/2019]
Capitol Hill Seattle Blog: ‘Smaller homes, and more of them per lot’ [6/18/2019]
Reason.com: Seattle Doesn't Want You To Have A Big House [5/31/2019]
Northwest News: Proposed ban on 'McMansions' would dramatically change Seattle's house-building rules [5/30/2019]
KIRO-TV: Seattle could ban building big houses with new ordinance [5/29/2019]
Seattle Times: New ban on ‘McMansions’ would dramatically change Seattle’s house-building rules [5/29/2019]
Curbed Seattle: How ADU legislation could rein in Seattle’s McMansions [5/7/2019]
Seattle Pi: 'Cursed McMansions' of King County get featured on popular blog [11/1/2018]
Sightline Institute: Where Seattle’s Environmental Impact Statement Has Landed For Backyard Cottages [10/5/2018]
Seattle Times: New review could pave way for more backyard cottages in Seattle while restricting ‘McMansions’ [10/4/2018]
Washington, D.C.
Washingtonian: Here are the floor plans for Jeff Bezos’s $23 million DC home [4/22/2018]
Wisconsin
Bay View
Journal Sentinel: 'It's hideous': Bay View residents bristle at towering three-story mansion being built by Ald. Tony Zielinski [1/14/2019]
Wyoming
Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole News & Guide: What size houses are too big, and who should care? [6/26/2019]
NATIONWIDE
Business Insider: A Nobel Prize-winning economist and Yale professor explains why buying a big house is a waste of money
Fox News: Paul Batura: Big families bring more happiness than big houses
Infosurhoy: Neighbors hate the large suburban ‘McMansions’ because they make their own houses look small
The Times: American homeowners find size isn’t necessarily everything
Today: Living in a bigger house won't make you happier
The Atlantic: Are McMansions Making People Any Happier?
Town and Country Magazine: David Adjaye's Message to Architects: Stop Building McMansions
The Wall Street Journal: A Growing Problem in Real Estate: Too Many Too Big Houses
CNN NEWS: Suburban McMansions are out. Ritzy, remote ranches are in
Business Insider: Americans could be killing the McMansion for good
OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
CANADA
Thorold, Ontario, Canada: Council, staff clash over zoning issues
Reddendale, British Columbia, Canada: Zoning changes will end Reddendale developments, builder says
Reddendale, British Columbia, Canada: New Reddendale planning rules concern house designer
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: New Agricultural Land Reserve regulations take effect
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Province limits homes sizes in ALR
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Province follows Richmond's lead in limiting ALR homes sizes
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: New Agricultural Land Reserve regulations take effect
Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada: Coquitlam battles 'illegal apartment buildings'
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Year in review: ALR home sizes shrink
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Richmond council limits ALR homes to 400 square metres
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Richmond council hears from public on farmhouse size
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada: Big families raise concerns over provincial plan to limit size of ALR houses
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Richmond council votes to cut ALR home sizes even further
Delta, British Columbia, Canada: Province finally catches up to Delta on farm mansions
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Richmond council unanimously in favour of bylaw to further limit ALR home sizes
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: Legislation would restrict size of mansions on B.C. farmland
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Province, Richmond move to restrict 'mega-homes' on farmland
British Columbia, Canada: New legislation makes it clear: Farmland is for farming
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: City of Richmond votes in favour of limiting mega-mansions on ALR land
Saanich, British Columbia, Canada: Farmers applaud new restrictions on mega-homes
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada: Most homes being built on Abbotsford farmland exceed new size limits
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: As dreams of home ownership fade, B.C. startup offers shares in Vancouver homes for as little as $1
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Dilapidated homes, leaky condos, and crumbling mansions: Skilled trades shortage paints a bleak picture in Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Steele the show: Breton Crellin vs. the luxury housing market
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Province says they are going to stop the private estating of agricultural lands
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: 'There is a problem': Will B.C. try to block mega-mansions on protected farmland?
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Mega-mansions threat to farmland, says critic
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: 'We have no alternative': White paper warns lost B.C. farmland could be catastrophic
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: In one of West Vancouver’s nicest neighbourhoods, nobody’s home except dust bunnies and raccoons
Vancouver/Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Metro Vancouver monster home debate springs back to life
Vancouver/Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Small-scale farmers drawn into land-use debate in Richmond
Vancouver/Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Upcoming legislation will kill Richmond's farm mega-mansions
Vancouver/Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Mixed reaction after Richmond approves new home size limits
Vancouver/Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: In West Vancouver, ‘monster house’ debate a vicious circle
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Richmond votes to continue to allow so-called 'megahomes' on farmland
Vancouver/Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Richmond set to consider more limits on farmland mansions
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Richmond MLAs want city to act on farmland mega-mansions
Vancouver/Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Giant monster house under construction in Richmond
Vancouver/Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Richmond is growing McMansions instead of crops on “protected” farmland
Vancouver/Delta, British Columbia, Canada: Province to limit house sizes on farmland
Vancouver/Delta, British Columbia, Canada: Get ready for the North Delta monster house debate
Vancouver/Delta, British Columbia, Canada: Amended Delta zoning bylaw moves forward
Vancouver/Delta, British Columbia, Canada: Delta solution to farm mansions should be followed, says Steves
Vancouver/Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada: Saanich councillors call to stop monster homes being built on farmland
Vancouver/Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: RITE Richmond and Richmond Citizens' Association slates join forces in coalition
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada: House-size limit provokes angry reaction
UNITED KINGDOM
London, England: Ban on Mayfair ‘mega-homes’
London, England: 'Mega homes' to be banned in central London as Westminster council sets limit on size of new builds
Blackburn, England: Anger over billionaires' 'McMansion' homes plan in Blackburn
Blackburn, England: 'McMansions' anger in Blackburn
AUSTRALIA
Perth, Australia: The real cost of McMansions - is it time for a rethink?
Canberra, Australia: The new plan to turn Canberra's McMansions into mini unit complexes
Further Reading
The conversation is much broader than house size. The related issues of affordable housing, gentrification, and zoning are interlocking puzzle pieces that each community must grapple with.