June’s Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month

From crises like a dam collapse and toxic algae blooms to futuristic air taxi approvals by the FAA, June was packed with pivotal news developments. Discover which U.S. cities are growing, how new legislation will encourage affordable housing development in Tennessee, more about Florida’s crackdown on HOA powers, what’s causing a coastal standoff in Florida, and more.

1. California’s Largest Natural Lake Turns Green With … Algae

Like many bodies of fresh water across the country, Clear Lake, a popular California destination, is dealing with a green algal bloom, potentially caused by toxin-producing cyanobacteria, which has impacted tourism and recreational activities.

2. FAA Approves Air Taxis

Two air taxi companies have received FAA certification to operate on-demand passenger flights, aiming for commercial service in 2025. 

3. The 15 Fastest-Growing Cities in the US

The Census Bureau's latest update reveals that large cities in the Northeast and Midwest grew in 2023, reversing previous declines. Among the 15 fastest-growing cities with populations over 20,000, over half were in Texas, with notable exceptions in California and Ohio.

4. Clackamas County Votes to Allow ADUs, Residential RVs

Clackamas County, Oregon, now allows accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and RVs as secondary housing on rural residential properties over two acres.

5. New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a law that allows local governments to offer no-cost incentives for affordable housing construction, such as increased density allowances, reduced parking requirements, and priority permitting.

6. New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power

A new law in Florida restricts what state lawmakers call excessive HOA powers and includes mandatory training for board members and protections for residents against fines for minor violations.

7. Minnesota Dam Failure Highlights Nationwide Danger

The Rapidan Dam near Mankato, Minnesota, partially collapsed due to strain caused by floodwaters after severe storms that battered the Midwest.

8. Florida Homeowners 'Nope Out' of Beach Restoration Over Public Access

The U.S. Corps of Engineers offered $42 million in sand replenishment for an eroding Florida beach but only if the beach is made public. Beachfront property owners said no thank you.

9. Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths

Professor Wes Marshall's controversial book, Killed by a Traffic Engineer, critiques current traffic engineering practices, highlighting their role in increasing traffic fatalities. 

10. NYC Suburb Plans for New Linear Park

New Rochelle's new zoning rules pave the way for the LINC project, converting part of Memorial Highway into a vibrant linear park that aims to revitalize the historically Black Lincoln neighborhood.

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Editor’s note: Portions of this Planetizen blog post were generated using OpenAI’s language model, ChatCPT. Planetizen editors have been looking into ethical uses of AI in journalism and wanted to test it. In this post, ChatGPT was used to summarize previously published Planetizen stories, which provided text that served as a starting point and then was edited and refined further. We want to assure our readers that any policies adopted around the use of AI on Planetizen content will be grounded in transparency.