Even in the depths of extreme heat, many shelters prohibit residents from installing AC units.
Residents of New York City homeless shelters are often barred from installing air conditioning units, report Andy Newman and Julian Roberts-Grmela for The New York Times, putting many at risk of heat-related illnesses. “Thousands of families with children live in New York City shelters that lack air-conditioning in the rooms where people live and sleep, even in the depths of a heat wave.” More than 100 NYC shelters are in buildings without air conditioning.
According to the article, “The city allows air-conditioners to be installed in units in older shelter buildings, but residents must obtain a note from a health care provider saying that a unit is medically necessary.” Yet even when residents have a doctor’s note, some say they had a hard time getting AC units approved, and the city says some buildings’ wiring isn’t equipped to handle the demand of ACs in every room. “Shelters typically have an air-conditioned common area, but those rooms do not offer places to sleep.”
FULL STORY: Air-Conditioning Is a Perk Many New York Homeless Shelters Don’t Allow
More Unhoused New Yorkers Died in 2021 Than in any Prior Year
New York City saw its deadliest year for people living in shelters or public spaces, with the pandemic and a rise in deadly overdoses fueling a fatal epidemic.
NYC Lawmaker Proposes Mandatory Cooling Law
Despite hundreds of heat-related deaths every year, the city has no regulations on cooling in residential units.
Study: Homeless People Face Higher Mortality Risk
Unhoused adults are more than three times as likely to die in any given year as their housed counterparts, research shows.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
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What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie