A key federal housing assistance program is in peril, Maui tries to balance housing affordability with its tourism-based economy, and a landmark Virginia law could set a new standard for road safety.

Last week, the Trump administration continued its effort to dismantle key federal initiatives, including the federal housing voucher program and the Public Lands Rule. Experts warn that Maui’s attempt to alleviate the housing crisis by banning short-term rentals could devastate the county’s economy, and a history lesson from San Francisco offers insights for today’s housing crisis. In Texas, churches rally behind zoning reform legislation while state lawmakers seek to ban cities from building new bike lanes. And an argument for why we should fund public transit.
The full list of April’s most-read stories:
1. Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
The historic settlement mandated improvements to wastewater systems in poor communities that have experienced severe impacts from pollution.
Maui’s plan to eliminate short-term rentals to create more housing for locals could backfire with catastrophic effects for the tourism-dependent economy.
3. Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
The administration is considering massive cuts to the Section 8 housing voucher program and other federal housing assistance programs, claiming they can be more effectively replaced with state-run programs.
4. The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
Over a century ago, San Francisco deployed a quick-build solution to provide housing for thousands during one of the city’s worst crises. Could it be a blueprint for the future?
5. Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Todd Litman offers eight reasons why subsidizing public transit is an economically, ethically, and environmentally sound decision.
6. Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Faith-based organizations are calling for zoning reform that could unlock thousands of new housing units and let churches make underutilized properties more productive.
7. BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule
The Trump administration has taken aggressive steps to roll back conservation efforts and open up public lands to mining, lumber, and other industries.
8. Virginia Law Allows Judges to Mandate Speed Limiters
Judges will be allowed to require speed limiting technology for drivers convicted of driving over 100 miles per hour.
9. Texas Bill Would Ban Road Diets, Congestion Pricing
If passed, the bill would prohibit any new bike lanes or other infrastructure that requires narrowing traffic lanes.
10. ‘Minnesota Nice’ Isn’t so Nice When You Can’t Find a Place to Live
A Minnesota state program offers housing assistance to Indigenous people, who, despite making up only 2 percent of the state’s population, make up 20 percent of the unhoused population.

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

EPA Awards $267 Million to Clean Up and Reuse Contaminated Sites
The EPA is investing the funds to clean up and redevelop contaminated sites nationwide, supporting economic growth, community revitalization, and environmental restoration.

Knoxville Dedicates $1M to New Greenway
The proposed greenway would run along North Broadway and connect to 125 miles of existing trails.

Philadelphia Launches ‘Speed Slots’ Traffic Calming Pilot
The project focuses on a 1.4-mile stretch of Lincoln Drive where cars frequently drive above the posted speed limit.
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