The office amenities of yore are out. Quick, painless commutes are in.

What would get you back to the office? Employers all over the country want to know. Writing in Curbed, Kim Velsey provides the answer: “an easier commute.”
As Velsey explains, “Rock-climbing walls, Equinox-caliber gyms and rooftop bars are nice, but what workers really want, it seems, is an easier commute.” These trends, which were already fading pre-pandemic, lost their luster even more in the days of remote work. “When tenants get off work, how many of them really want to linger around their offices for a yoga class or drinks at the rooftop bar?”
Ultimately, data seems to show that “Coming off years of remote work, many people just want to get home, or at least to entertainments and companions of their choosing, after a full day at the office.” In New York City, younger companies that previously couldn’t afford office space can now rent offices in prime, transit-rich locations that let workers get to and from work quickly. Buildings around Manhattan’s Grand Central Station are seeing occupancy rates higher than the rest of the borough.
FULL STORY: What Really Brings People Back to the Office? The Easiest Commute.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

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

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access
A proposed bill would legalize transit-oriented development statewide.

Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills
Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.

Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units
Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.
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