Plenty Of Sun, But Not Affordable Housing, In Key West

The average home price has nearly tripled in the past five years, leaving little room for low-income workers serving the wealthy.

1 minute read

April 30, 2006, 5:00 AM PDT

By David Gest


"The sun isn't even a hint in the sky when the bus leaves south Miami-Dade County and rumbles 80 miles down the Overseas Highway jammed with one of the scarcest resources in the Florida Keys: workers.

Maids, nursing aides, landscapers, cooks and security guards fill every seat, and the aisle, too, with some riding more than two hours to jobs that pay more than similar ones on the mainland."

"They can't afford to stay in Monroe County, and their would-be replacements can't afford to move there. Not when the average sale price of a single-family home in the Keys was $960,096 last year -- up from $368,048 in 2001, according to Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate."

Sunday, April 30, 2006 in Orlando Sentinel via Chicago Tribune

Large blank mall building with only two cars in large parking lot.

Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House

If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.

April 18, 2024 - Central Penn Business Journal

Rendering of wildlife crossing over 101 freeway in Los Angeles County.

World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County

Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.

April 15, 2024 - LAist

Workers putting down asphalt on road.

U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause

A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.

April 18, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

Close-up of hand holding up wooden thermometer in front of blurred street

New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths

Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.

21 minutes ago - Associated Press via Portland Press Herald

View of Dallas city skyline with moderately busy freeway in foreground at twilight.

AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth

Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.

1 hour ago - Dallas Morning News

View from back of BART Police SUV driving down street in San Francisco, California.

Podcast: Addressing the Root Causes of Transit Violence

Deploying transit police is a short-term fix. How can transit agencies build sustainable safety efforts?

2 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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.