D.C. suburbs experience another year of double digit increases in housing assessments.
Arlington County, Virginia is located just across the Potomac River from Washington and is home to such national landmarks as the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetary. It's Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor known in the planning community as a example of successfull high density development around transit. A sobering reflection of the county's desirability is it's skyrocketing housing prices. Housing assessments increased 24% in 2004 and have grown 75% in the last three year. "In many ways, we're victims of our own success," said County Board Chairman Jay Fisette (D). "Most communities love to see increases in home values. It means things are healthy, there's investment and a high quality of life. But the flip side is that it makes finding housing challenging." Due to the unique political system in Virginia, the county is unable to levy income taxes on its residents and must rely heavily on real estate tax income. Currently there is no cap on property taxes, as there is in neighboring Maryland and D.C.
Thanks to Peter Buryk
FULL STORY: Arlington Property Values Up 24 Percent

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)