A conspicuous benchmark in the epicenter of the Silicon Valley.

George Avalos reports that over the past 12 months ending in September, tech giants like Google and Adobe have fueled a real estate buying spree in San Jose totaling $1.43 billion in sales.
"The buying activity in downtown San Jose over the recent 12 months, measured by the amount spent by the purchasers, is nearly three times as much as the $484 million buyers spent on downtown properties over the prior one-year period that ended in September 2017," reports Avalos.
Avalos is reporting analysis of Santa Clara public records by the Mercury News team.
FULL STORY: San Jose’s downtown shopping spree rockets past $1.4 billion in one year

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
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