Building more housing where people work is a simple way to come out of the pandemic with a stronger sense of community and shorter commutes, according to this article.

Pandemic lockdown has changed the way people relate to the cities in which they live, shop, and work. Increasingly, say Michael Hendrix and John Ketcham, the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way residents of the New York City region commute and shed light on the fact that under 'normal' circumstances, hordes of people commute into cities on a daily basis to get to work.
Hedrix and Ketcham opine that instead of allowing the commute to continue, planners and lawmakers should increase housing supply in commercial areas. Upzoning commercial areas, they say, will minimize commute times while improving neighborhood quality and individuals' quality of life.
The article urges for the transformation of New York City neighborhoods, its authors arguing that density controls and regulation opposing adaptive reuse are ultimately damaging to community vitality in the Big Apple. Not enough housing has been built in areas where jobs are growing. "An October 2019 report by the New York City Department of City Planning found that from 2009 to 2018, 700,000 new jobs were added in the city, compared with only 197,000 new housing units permitted," write Hedrix and Ketcham.
Given the decreasing demand for urban retail and office space, planners and politicians should begin to build housing in those areas where demand will ultimately crop up again. According to Hedrix and Ketcham. "With the right policies, this time of crisis can give way to more neighborhoods where we live, work, and play."
FULL STORY: More housing is the answer to less transit

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie