Housing and Urban Issues
Stresses on urban communities continue to affect housing, food security, child services, homelessness, business development and crime. Coverage includes stories about new solutions to how cities are run, how they develop as urban centers and about the people who live there.
They help a lot of individuals and their communities. The proposed cuts would just shift the burden to emergency rooms, shelters and already overwhelmed local systems.
As Gov. Hochul takes over, her decisions could significantly change the allowances of local policy. Many in Staten Island are eager to see her response to topics such as congestion pricing, HOV lane extension and more.
Unlike China, American roads and transport systems have been around for too many decades. We need to fix them, not dream of gleaming new ones.
It doesn't create much new housing and distorts the housing market, providing little if any help for low-income households. It's no substitute for broad liberalization of zoning policies.
As smoke from nearby wildfires settles on top of the Sacramento region, the air quality has worsened to unhealthy levels. Some are proposing cleaner-air centers to provide some relief for the area’s homeless population.
Tyree Guyton is on a quest to resurrect a forgotten neighborhood. Over the decades his work has turned everyday waste – phones, vinyl records, TVs and more – into art. Visitors love it, but the locals have mixed feelings.
The massive infrastructure bill, if approved, could give the state $100 million for expanding its rural Internet and subsidize services, which would be significant for the nearly 20 percent of households without broadband.
While urban crashes get more attention, approximately half of traffic fatalities occur on rural roads even though only about one-fifth of the population lives in these areas. Lawmakers are considering new safety measures.
After 16 fare-free months due to the pandemic, the city’s public transportation system will once again start charging for bus fares. But many worry how this will impact homeless or vulnerable populations.
The pandemic has given frustrated solo commuters some relief, but history suggests that its effects may not last. Maybe Ebenezer Scrooge actually knew something.
Alamance and Randolph counties are nearly 5.5 percentage points behind the national average for broadband connectivity, making learning and working remotely very expensive, or impossible, for many.
The city’s program has provided housing and support to over 280 residents since 2016 and has saved the city millions in police, jail, ambulance and detox services. Now the city is looking to expand.
The city council has approved 20 locations for homeless shelters, tiny homes and sanctioned tent encampments to help serve 2,209 people at any given time. But no locations were in the city’s wealthier neighborhoods.
A local developer rescued his hometown in Ohio from decades of stagnation. Now he is taking his approach to other struggling communities around the Midwest.
The new infrastructure bill could make buses and trains faster, cleaner and more reliable. But it will take bold local policies to fill them with passengers.
Las Cruces and Santa Fe are moving forward with targeted guaranteed basic income programs and, if those pilot programs go well, lawmakers could move forward with a similar statewide program.
In a 5-5 tie, a proposal to ban urban camping as a means to manage homelessness in the city failed. Mayor Mike Coffman, who pushed the idea, said he will retry the measure in six months.
To reduce the violence Black urban farmers are growing fresh, affordable produce in the city’s food deserts. St. Louis has over 400 acres of vacant lots that could be converted into arable farmland.
The laws in Texas are vague when it comes to legally changing a name and gender marker. Cases are often up to the discretion of the judge and can take months to go through the process.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill on Monday that would replace the word ‘inmate’ with ‘incarcerated individual.’ The old term is considered derogatory and dehumanizing, within state law. It takes effect immediately.
Surveys show Americans want more walkable cities and bike riding continues to grow. Yet urban streets are still designed and used like highways. Change is happening, but at a very slow pace, says urban expert Jeff Speck.
Mayor Ben Walsh has proposed using $2 million in federal stimulus funding to plant 3,600 trees over the next three years in an effort to improve social inequalities across the city. Each tree will cost $400 to plant.
As other states introduce legislation restricting educators from teaching about race, Virginia has incorporated more Black history in all history classes, making it an integral part of the American experience.
A survey has found that one out of three renters nationally want to “upsize” their apartments for business reasons or family growth. In South Florida, that has increased the demand for larger rental units.
The average ride-share trip in June cost a little more than the average trip by taxi, which is regulated by the city. That was a reversal from two years earlier when passengers paid nearly $2 more to travel by cab.
The Michigan governor has proposed using $100 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to build 2,000 affordable housing units across the state. The development would create housing for 6,000 residents and 1,600 jobs.
Small businesses need affordable commercial space. Federal stimulus funds offer the chance for local governments to get involved in a variety of ways — including becoming landlords themselves.
A new report found that civic engagement, such as participation in elections, number of nonprofits and library usage, is an important factor for determining community development, but this engagement is hard to measure.
The Regional Transportation District’s Accountability Committee issued a report urging the transit agency to attract riders before they establish post-pandemic routines of commuting to work by car, highlighting poor ridership as a top concern.
As Travis County, Texas, aims to reach herd immunity levels for COVID-19, local researchers express concern that many economically disadvantaged communities are about six weeks behind in vaccinations.
Washington is sending cities a gigantic fiscal gift. They have to produce results. The danger is that the money will be squandered. Republicans are watching all that generosity with skepticism.
