The fiscal effects of the pandemic are likely to make it very difficult for governments to invest in economic and quality of life improvements for people on the edge of poverty.

Anastasia Moloney writes: "About 100 million people living in cities worldwide will likely fall into poverty due to the coronavirus pandemic, urban experts said on Wednesday, calling for mapping tools to identify vulnerable communities and investment focusing on slum areas."
The article cites experts from the World Bank, the World Resources Institute (WRI), and other urban studies organizations—recent participants in a webinar—in calculating this estimate.
Ani Dasgupta, global director of the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, is quoted in the article saying the crisis requires a new approach—not a top-down planning approach.
FULL STORY: Cities face 100 million 'new poor' in post-pandemic world - experts

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

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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