Smart Growth's opponents love taxpayer investments, decry citizen involvement
"Property rights" is the favored, two-word battle cry for those who want to kill promising new Smart Growth ideas. It is heard most loudly around undeveloped farmland, forest, and open space beyond settled areas, and it mostly comes from developers waiting to make a killing on land sales and construction projects in those areas, which are so valuable only because taxpayers have paid for the roads, sewers, and schools that make them possible in the first place. But when those same taxpayers want to protect their investment with reasonable laws or zoning ordinances, the developers tell the community to get lost.
Thanks to Keith Schneider
FULL STORY: The "Property Rights" Hypocrisy
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.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.
Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
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