The civil rights debates of the 1960s and 1970s influence city planning in Alexandria, Virginia to this day.

Vernon Miles shares news of a new book that tells the history of civil rights and historic preservation Alexandria, Virginia, and how these two goals came into conflict in the development of the county's old town historic district since the 1970.
Local historic preservation consultant John Sprinkle presented excerpts from a forthcoming book to the Alexandria Board of Architectural Review, highlighting the central role of historic preservation in debates about development and displacement over the years. The narrative shared by Sprinkle is one of a dual process of desegregation and displacement: As Alexandria expanded Old Town in the 1970s, Black residents displaced by higher property taxes moved into "formerly all-white working class communities in Del Ray and Arlandria."
Violent conflicts that took place in the area had a "profound impact" on planning in Arlington, according to Sprinkle. "The historic preservation at the time started to shift toward neighborhood conservation. The city pursued grants from National Endowment for the Humanities that focused on conservation as part of an experiment designed to address forecasted displacement of African Americans in the north-western quadrant,” writes Miles.
FULL STORY: New Report Highlights History of Clashes Between Civil Rights and Historic Preservation in Alexandria

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
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