In the most overcrowded city in the U.S., officials and advocates are trying to address health and safety concerns related to overcrowding, without displacing the very people they are trying to protect.
Santa Ana, CA, "with the most crowded households of any large U.S. city and many of its dwellings substandard...faces an intractable dilemma: how to enforce health and safety laws without forcing thousands of residents onto the street. Santa Ana's average household size of 4.6 people is, according to the U.S. census, greater than that of any other U.S. city with a population of more than 50,000....The average household size in Los Angeles is 2.8; in New York City, it's 2.6. Exacerbating Santa Ana's housing problem is that one in every five dwellings is substandard, the city says....And so the city is caught in the middle of competing tensions. It attracts poor working families resigned to sharing houses with strangers and tolerating faulty plumbing and electricity and other deficiencies. And with diminishing resources, the city tries to enforce codes intended to protect residents yet which, if strictly enforced, may only worsen their immediate plight."
Thanks to Connie Chung
FULL STORY: In Housing Density, It's Too Close for Comfort
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
Portland Council Tentatively Approves Sidewalk Repair Plan
The proposal would address sidewalk needs in Portland’s District 1 and District 4.
Expanding Access to Design Education at Honolulu Community College
Honolulu Community College’s Architecture, Engineering & Construction Technologies program highlights the role of community colleges in preparing nontraditional students for careers in architectural and construction technologies.
Integrating Human Rights Into Energy and Extractive Sector Transitions
Why just transition efforts must move beyond economic considerations by embedding human rights principles into business practices to ensure equitable, transparent, and accountable outcomes for affected communities and workers.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions