A Detroit Free Press expose reveals the neglect of lead-based paint inspections in many properties that accept Section 8 vouchers, and the children who are paying for it.
"The Free Press found that flaking paint, clearly visible to a visitor, often wasn't noted by inspectors. Landlords were rarely forced to fix peeling paint. And in Detroit--with an estimated 10,000 lead-poisoned children...the Detroit Housing Commission has not shared Section 8 addresses with the Health Department, as it is required by the federal government to do....Landlords can drop out of the Section 8 program -- and many do -- when faced with repair bills. Tenants hesitate to complain for fear they will be evicted and lose their voucher." One affordable housing advocate noted that "so much of the housing in Detroit is substandard that even those who get Section 8 vouchers have trouble finding places to use them. " 'People end up in bad housing because there's nowhere else to go...It's not that they want to expose their children to lead. They just have no other options'....HUD's review of the Detroit Housing Commission this year found the city's Section 8 program to be disorganized, short-staffed and performing inadequate lead inspections."
Thanks to Connie Chung
FULL STORY: A TROUBLED U.S. HOUSING PROGRAM: Low-income homes fail checks, rarely fixed
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” philosophy.
The European Cities That Love E-Scooters — And Those That Don’t
Where they're working, where they're banned, and where they're just as annoying the tourists that use them.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)