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.
The fallout from a strike by prison guards continues to paralyze prisons, forcing officials to suspend programs and rely on emergency deployments.
California’s proposed database to track homeless populations across the state is easier said than done. Getting clear communication and consistent collection across the state won’t happen overnight.
As technology becomes easier and cheaper to use, residents are looking for smart-home features in their apartments, which makes owners want to install the tech to keep up with competition and avoid becoming obsolete.
The Michigan House bill would allow counties to opt out of paying for services that would offer little benefit to them without impeding the implementation of the services in other counties.
Stafford County hopes to install smart energy, lighting, water, and housing to become a smart community, the first of many. “Our goal is to make Stafford a model community for all of Virginia.”
The State of the City address outlined plans to become a smart city, including 5G and mobile parking apps. But the mayor didn’t discuss how they’d replenish city funds after these upgrades, and some are concerned.
About one quarter of all Lousianans don’t have any available Internet provider, which impacts business success and growth. State and fed officials are stepping in with hopes to have the entire state connected by 2029.
After California residents couldn’t call 911 during wildfires, four Congress members proposed a bill that would require the Federal Communications Commission to provide more information on telecom network outages.
A report found that switching Maine’s privately owned electric utility to a publicly owned one could raise customer rates and decrease state tax revenue. But some want more analysis on customer service and reliability first.
Mixed-income and diverse neighborhoods are good for our cities. There are policies we can pursue that can help to keep housing affordable and protect these communities' legacy residents.
St. Paul is one of the cities across the nation using Amazon’s Ring cameras to improve policing. Some say there are security and data sharing concerns, others say, “Society has changed. The old way of policing is gone.”
Health-care apps are changing the way many people interact with medical providers. While the health-care industry is trying to be more consumer friendly, many don’t think apps deliver the same quality of care.
Stamford, Conn., began using an electronic vehicle-immobilization device, ‘Smart Boot,’ a year ago to make drivers pay for their parking tickets. Since implementation, there has been a drastic increase in payments.
While 5G is supposed to be revolutionary when it comes to the telecommunications industry, it might have negative impacts on community life. From aesthetics to health, community concerns are driving the push back against 5G.
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Baltimore County, Md., proposed a voluntary registry for private security cameras that would be used by police to improve investigations. The volunteered footage would remain confidential “to the extent permitted by law.”
The city’s 4-1-1 app allows residents to report city problems like potholes, graffiti, abandoned vehicles, and soon illegal electric scooter activity. A Spanish version will also debut this year.
As the "smart city" movement has progressed through three distinct waves, local governments have found themselves increasingly struggling to manage the changes that alter many aspects of urban life.
Grand Rapids, Mich., implemented driverless shuttles to gauge ridership, experience and limitations of the program. The pilot program is currently scheduled to run through July 2020, but there is a possibility of an extension.
Costa Mesa, Calif., had to adjust regulations after citizens voiced concerns over electromagnetic toxicity around 5G implementation, though no adverse health effects have been proven.
The nation’s governors are delving into their varied policy priorities for the coming year, but a new shared reality is emerging: Governors are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the Internet.
Chatbots, application automation are changing the real-estate industry slowly but surely. But some buyers still want what automation doesn’t have: human interaction without security threats.
Ann Arbor, Mich., only has about 47 percent of the workers it needs to ensure an accurate count for the 2020 Census. The jobs would pay up to $23 an hour. Officials encourage people to “be a part of history.”
The St. Paul police will begin testing new video technology that will help them look for clues and suspects. But some are concerned about the tech being misused. “It’s fundamentally changing the way that you police people.”
The city hopes to reduce future spills and breaks by replacing old pipes and using drones to inspect pipes in hard-to-reach areas. Officials hope to “improve neighborhood infrastructure and better protect our environment.”
There is a high risk of undercounting in Texas due to privacy concerns of immigrants and hard-to-count locations. But several poverty-fighting programs rely heavily on funding determined by the census count.
Shreveport, La., and Boulder, Colo., are using tools like open source development, flatter organizational structures and performance dashboards to inspire continuous improvements in each city’s use of technology.
A sleek museum, built within the ruins of what was once one of the largest flour mills in the country, tells the story of how the city flourished thanks to its mills and the waterpower of the Mississippi River.
Last year millions of Californians were left without phone or Internet connections during wildfire-caused blackouts. Now lawmakers are working to ensure that those same issues don’t happen again.
Kansas City, Mo., will remove the $1.50 bus fare this year to further encourage residents to use the system. But having accessible public transit is only one part of the city’s wider goal of improving quality of life.
Los Angeles, Calif., Unified School District proposed a way to help low-income students, the Transportation Authority and the environment: give 60,000 students free metro rides. If it passes, it just might work.
