Despite the purported exodus of untethered Silicon Valley workers from the Bay Area, rents in the city are still the highest in the United States.

San Francisco's famously high rents have dropped by close to 25% during the COVID-19 pandemic, writes Gabrielle Canon in the Guardian, but the city still remains the nation's most expensive, with the average one-bedroom renting for $2,660 per month.
According to the California Housing Partnership Corporation (CHPC), California needs roughly 1.3 million additional affordable rental units to meet the state's housing needs.
The pandemic complicated a pre-existing housing crisis in a region with California's highest rate of income inequality. While "tech workers and other high earners who easily adapted to work-from-home policies early in the pandemic while retaining big salaries have been able to lower their rental rates or cash in on new opportunities to purchase homes with extremely low interest rates," half of the area's renters lost income, writes Canon. The pandemic's uneven economic effects have hit low-wage workers in the hospitality and retail industries hardest, with few prospects of returning to the job market "any time soon," according to Karen Chapple, faculty director and professor of city and regional planning at the University of California, Berkeley. Int he article, Chapple warns that rent moratoriums, if not accompanied by permanent rent relief, are only a temporary solution for those who face eviction and homelessness.
FULL STORY: San Francisco rents are plummeting – but its housing crisis could get worse

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.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions