Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh thinks short-term rental companies like Airbnb are having a negative effect on the city's housing market, and he'll walk a fine line to regulate the industry.

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh has proposed a bill "that would all but eliminate investor-owned apartments from being rented by the night," reports Tim Logan.
"[The bill] allow people to rent — short-term — a room in their home, or a spare unit in a two- or three-family building, if they own and live in the property," adds Logan.
Walsh believes this kind of legislation can prevent apartments being taken off the market and turned into "de-facto hotels," while also allowing the benefits promised of the "sharing economy": extra cash on the side.
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts State Legislature has spent some of its energy this year considering a tax on short-term rentals.
FULL STORY: Walsh moves to rein in rentals through services like Airbnb

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.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

Connecticut Just Cause Eviction Bill Dies in State House
The bill would have protected tenants from unfair evictions by requiring landlords to provide a reason for ending a lease.

San Francisco Muni Raises Fares a Second Time
A 10–cent fare hike for adults is part of the agency’s plan to chip away at a growing budget deficit.

Electric Grid Capacity Could Hamstring EV Growth
Industry leaders say the U.S. electric grid is unprepared for the increased demand for power created by electric cars, data centers, and electric homes.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions