The public health and economic crises caused by the coronavirus are threatening to further entrench inequality in America—between regions and within cities.

According to Clara Hendrickson and Mark Muro, "the pandemic might intensify the unevenness of America’s divergent economy, with disturbing implications."
Because the coronavirus first spread through affluent urban centers—San Francisco, Seattle, and New York City—some have wondered whether the pandemic would bring about a more geographically balanced economy by inspiring white collar workers will move in droves to less expensive parts of the country that could badly use the economic boost. "Don't bet on it," write Hendrickson and Muro. "Despite the increasing adoption of digital technology in American workplaces, economic activity has become more—not less—concentrated," according to the duo. As for why:
...while the density of large cities may be a disadvantage in fighting the spread of the coronavirus, it likely will remain an advantage in a 21st century knowledge economy, where the biggest places with the richest exchanges of ideas among highly educated workers have enjoyed the greatest economic returns.
The article also examines the pandemic's unequal consequences within cities (i.e., not just the inequality between cities and regions)—as neighborhoods in some of these cities, filled by blue collar workers keeping the economy afloat while bearing the brunt of the public health consequences of the pandemic.
FULL STORY: Will COVID-19 rebalance America’s uneven economic geography? Don’t bet on it.

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
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Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie