Even when they qualify for affordable rents, tenants in high-cost neighborhoods find themselves shut out of essential amenities and services.

Residents who qualify for affordable housing developments are, in some areas, finding the cost of living in their immediate neighborhoods too high. A New York Times article by D.W. Gibson profiles one resident of Southampton, New York, who qualified for an apartment in a development sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), but now struggles to afford groceries and other goods locally, such as access to the local beach, which requires a $250 parking permit. “I have to leave here to do my shopping — even the supermarkets are too expensive,” says Liza Coppola. “She says most of the people she knows in the Shinnecock community [where she works] face a similar dynamic of being priced out of the place they live.”
Coppola says she was lucky to snag an apartment in a HUD building, which typically have years-long waiting lists. “Because she’s spent years working on housing issues — first at a nonprofit in Greenport and now with the Shinnecock community — Ms. Coppola knew she would qualify for HUD developments projects intended for people making less than the area median income of $100,722.” But she and others like her find themselves leaving the neighborhood to access affordable services. This dynamic could lead to displacement as residents of increasingly desirable areas find themselves priced out of local amenities, signaling a need for a more comprehensive approach to neighborhood affordability where housing is recognized as one of a number of factors driving displacement.
FULL STORY: The Apartment is Affordable, but the Neighborhood Sure Isn’t

The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.

‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts
Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.

Seattle Bus Lane Cameras Capture Over 100,000 Violations
An automated traffic enforcement pilot program caught drivers illegally using transit lanes more than 110,000 times in less than a year.

Immigration Grows, Population Drops in Many U.S. Counties
International immigration to the country’s most populous areas tripled even as major metropolitan areas continued to lose population.

$616 Million in Development Incentives Approved for District Detroit
The “Transformational Brownfield” incentives approved by the Detroit City Council for the $1.5 billion District Detroit still require approval by the state.

Affordable Housing Development Rejected for Lack of Third Staircase in Connecticut
The New Canaan Planning Commission rejected a development proposal, including 31 below-market-rate apartments, for lack of a third staircase, among other reasons, at a time when advocates are pushing to relax two-staircase requirements.
Houston-Galveston Area Council
City of Malibu
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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