The cities of Long Beach and Los Angeles are dealing with the fallout from controversial decisions to require extra compensation for grocery store workers during the pandemic.

"Supermarket-chain owner Kroger said it will close three stores in Los Angeles in response to new rules requiring a $5-per-hour pay bump for grocery workers during the pandemic, the latest round of closures it has announced since 'hero pay' mandates emerged earlier this year," report Suhauna Hussain and Dakota Smith.
Kroger is planning to close two Ralphs and a Food 4 Less on May 15. "The company called the three stores “'underperforming' and said the new L.A. city-ordered pay boosts sped up the decision to shut them down," according to the article.
One of the stores targeted for closure is located in a food desert, according to local activists, and the loss of a local grocery store is particularly painful.
Kroger's decisions to close stores in Los Angeles follows shortly after similar closures in Long Beach, where the city is requiring an extra $4 an hour for grocery workers. "Last month, Kroger announced the impending closure of a Ralphs and Food 4 Less in Long Beach, blaming the new pay boosts," report Hussain and Smith.
Advocates on either side of the issue point to reports to make their point. "An analysis released by the city days before the vote noted that the grocery industry is a low-profit-margin sector and warned that companies could respond to the ordinance by closing stores, laying off staff or raising food prices," according to the article.
On the other hand, a U.C. San Francisco study of mortality rates among workers during the pandemic "found that of the front-line labor force, food and agriculture workers faced the highest increase in death. Latino food and agriculture workers were disproportionately affected, experiencing a 59% increase in mortality."
FULL STORY: Ralphs and Food 4 Less locations to close in Los Angeles over hazard pay rules

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.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont