Municipalities are hiring architects to ensure that new development is architecturally interesting and does not look resemble sprawling cookie-cutter subdivisions
"...cookie-cutter bungalows lined up in a row in sprawling subdivisions with no architectural interest whatsoever. That is just the kind of community most municipalities hope to avoid -- hence the practice of hiring an outside architect to oversee new housing developments...They want the community to fit in with its surroundings, so if it is an infill the style must be consistent with the other houses in the vicinity. For greenfields locations, architects generally aim to ensure the community ends up with a distinct 'personality.'"
Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan
FULL STORY: Managing the 'cookie cutters'

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.

Can Geothermal Energy Fuel Hawaiʻi’s Future?
Gavin Murphy, a New Zealand-based consultant with experience in indigenous-led geothermal projects, argues that Hawaiʻi is poised to achieve energy independence and economic growth by respectfully developing its untapped geothermal resources.

Climate Gardening: Cultivating Resilient Landscapes in Los Angeles
TreePeople’s 4th Annual Urban Soil Symposium explored how climate gardening, soil health, and collaborative land management strategies can enhance urban resilience in the face of climate change.

Electric Surge: EV Chargers Outnumber Gas Nozzles in California
California now has 48% more electric vehicle chargers than gasoline nozzles, reflecting its rapid shift toward clean transportation and aggressive zero-emission goals despite federal pushback.
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