State data show more tenants expect eviction in the coming months even as the state struggles to disburse rental assistance funds.

According to data "provided during a Sept. 8 update to the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council," one quarter of renters in Washington State fear eviction in the next two months, reports Aaron Kunkler.
"Sen. Lynda Wilson said during the meeting that the state had only disbursed 11% of the rental assistance funding it had available," suggesting that some renters are "either unaware of that assistance, or they don’t believe they’re going to get it." This follows a nationwide trend: as of June, "only 12% of the $25 billion in federal funds sent to states had been distributed."
Meanwhile, Washington employment has been slow to recover, particularly in the food service and hospitality industries hit hardest by the pandemic. "The recovery isn’t just uneven on an industry level, but county by county too, as pointed out by DJ Wilson here. In several coastal and eastern Washington counties, nearly one in five Washingtonians need either SNAP or FAP food assistance, according to the Department of Commerce."
"At the same time, home prices both in Seattle and across the U.S. continue to skyrocket. Home prices in June grew 25% year-over-year in Seattle, well outpacing the roughly 18% seen nationwide."
FULL STORY: One-quarter of Washington renters expect to be evicted

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

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.

Albuquerque Route 66 Motels Become Affordable Housing
A $4 million city fund is incentivizing developers to breathe new life into derelict midcentury motels.

DC Area County Eliminates Bus Fares
Montgomery County joins a growing trend of making transit free.
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
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)