Gov. Abbot gestures with his hand at a convention. He is wearing blue and is in his wheelchair.
Despite tough talk from Abbott and Paxton, Texas penalties for data center violations are light

Texas officials are promising tougher enforcement on data centers, but the existing law may offer limited leverage over the industry that has largely failed to report its water use.

October 15 - Texas Tribune

Pedestrians in NYC cross the street.
A gas leak in NYC is costing residents $300 million

More than 90% of NYC’s electricity is from natural gas. About 2% of that gas is leaking and escaping into the air.

5 hours ago - Gothamist

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A crane lifts a manufactured house, with is rectangular and does not yet have a roof.

HUD modernizes 50-year-old manufactured housing framework

The Next Generation Manufactured Housing Action Plan establishes new energy-efficiency standards for manufactured homes, and new guidelines for anchoring them.

October 8 - Boston Real Estate Times

The U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner and President Donald Trump at a press conference.

HUD, USDA agree on framework to simplify housing environmental review standards

Their agreement is a requirement of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.

October 7 - Smart Cities Dive

A row of tiny homes in Denver

Denver is solving homelessness. Why aren't the rest of us?

Since 2023, Denver's street homeless population has decreased by 64%, proving that effective tools exist to support those in need of housing.

October 14 - New York Times

A brick building with windows and a stone plaque that reads "The Elmer L. Andersen Human Services Building"

Minnesota seeks to replace fraud-ridden Housing Stabilization Services with new program

Federal prosecutors have charged over a dozen people in fraud cases involving at least $26 million.

October 11 - Minnesota Reformer

An unfinished piece of California’s high-speed rail project in Fresno.

After $600,000 wasted, CA high-speed rail board limits CEO’s power

Ian Choudri will no longer be able to sign, change or manage contracts.

October 13 - Cal Matters

Elon Musk's colossus data center. An aerial view of the massive facility.

'I can't live in this:' Mississippi town besieged by power plant noise

A plant powering Elon Musk’s xAI data centers is subjecting Southaven, Mississippi residents to ceaseless noise.

October 11 - CBS

A woman in the snowy woods wraps two children in blankets.

U.S.-Iran war may have ‘devastating’ impact on cost to warm homes

Vermont and Maine residents may see a 76% increase in the cost of warming their homes this winter.

October 9 - Grist

Two people in masks stand in front of a "caring for you at home" sign. They speak to people in medical masks.

The city is the health system

Your healthcare system treats you after you get sick. Your city decides whether your health declines at all. Singapore is proving that planning is preventive medicine.

October 8 - Rajiv Ahuja

Art of a man mansplaining to a woman who is tired of listening

Mansplainer or plansplainer? A quiz

Think you can tell the difference between regular condescension and urban planning condescension? Take this quiz to find out!

October 9 - Emilie K. Adin

An Airo train passes over a mostly-dried river in between two large forests.

Airo trainsets begin service on Amtrak Cascades route

The trains feature panoramic windows, complementary wifi and over 300 seats per train set.

September 30 - Mass Transit

An Airo train driving towards the camera on a track. There is a forest behind it.

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.

September 22 - Washington State Standard

A gray building partially obscured by trees, behind a four way intersection.

A ‘shady’ deal: Chicagoans rally against planned Amtrak maintenance facility

The $900 million facility would allow Amtrak to maintain entire trains in one building, which the company says will reduce delays.

September 21 - Block Club Chicago

Passengers board an Amtrak train under a cloudy sky.

Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement

The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.

September 18 - Mass Transit

A New Jersey train approaches people waiting at the station.

Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds

A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.

September 15 - Mass Transit

An Airo train passes over a mostly-dried river in between two large forests.

Airo trainsets begin service on Amtrak Cascades route

The trains feature panoramic windows, complementary wifi and over 300 seats per train set.

September 30 - Mass Transit

An Airo train driving towards the camera on a track. There is a forest behind it.

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.

September 22 - Washington State Standard

A gray building partially obscured by trees, behind a four way intersection.

A ‘shady’ deal: Chicagoans rally against planned Amtrak maintenance facility

The $900 million facility would allow Amtrak to maintain entire trains in one building, which the company says will reduce delays.

September 21 - Block Club Chicago

Passengers board an Amtrak train under a cloudy sky.

Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement

The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.

September 18 - Mass Transit

A New Jersey train approaches people waiting at the station.

Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds

A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.

September 15 - Mass Transit

Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

1.25 AICP CM

Instructor Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places—Economics, the Environment, Public Health, Equity, and Social Cohesiveness—in order to arm practitioners with the full range of arguments in favor of pro-walkability planning.

 

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