Lynne Patton, a regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Trump administration, was in hot water for abusing her power after staying in public housing for a month in 2019.

"The Office of Special Counsel on Tuesday announced a settlement agreement with former Trump Housing and Urban Development official Lynne Patton, who violated the Hatch Act by using her official role to produce a video for the 2020 Republican convention," reports Andrew Solender.
The news of the Hatch Act violation provides a coda to the controversial tenure of Patton in the Trump administration, during which the former regional administrator for New York and New Jersey made news for getting hired directly from a job planning weddings for the Eric Trump Foundation in addition to suggesting that public housing be privatized and for living in New York public housing for four weeks in a move widely derided as a publicity stunt. That stay in public housing is also connected to the video that eventually led to this settlement agreement.
As noted by Solender, Patton joins a small group of Trump administration officials to face punishment under the Hatch Act, although the administration was generally dismissive of the ethics law.
The Biden administration has pledged to uphold stricter standards regarding the Hatch Act, but newly appointed HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge has received an ethics complaint for promoting Ohio Democrats from the White House podium.
FULL STORY: Ex-Trump Official Fined For Hatch Act Violation Over GOP Video With Public Housing Residents

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
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk
High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.

Massachusetts Budget Helps Close MBTA Budget Gap
The budget signed by Gov. Maura Healey includes $470 million in MBTA funding for the next fiscal year.

Milwaukee Launches Vision Zero Plan
Seven years after the city signed its Complete Streets Policy, the city is doubling down on its efforts to eliminate traffic deaths.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
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