A list dubbed the ‘Dirty Dozen’ shames the cities where unhoused people face the most harassment and least support from authorities.

A list compiled by the National Coalition for the Homeless identifies the ‘meanest cities’ in the United States when it comes to how officials treat unhoused people and the resources available to them. The Dirty Dozen list seeks to highlight the harassment and violence that people experiencing homelessness often face at the hands of law enforcement and others.
Each one of the Dirty Dozen cities are regularly harassing those who stay outside and have been engaging in sweeps for over a year. Each one of these cities has a severe lack of affordable housing, including long waiting lists for subsidized housing, while rents and evictions are both on the rise. Every one of these cities has an inability to house everyone requesting assistance, even in emergency congregate facilities.
According to the white paper, “The Dirty Dozen Meanest Cities in the United States is meant to highlight that neglect and hostility towards those without housing is leading to more people dying while homeless in one of the richest countries on the planet.”
With some of the country’s most expensive and scarce housing stock, the country’s largest population of unhoused people, regular law enforcement sweeps of areas like Venice Beach, and a much-publicized closure of Echo Park, Los Angeles tops the list of meanest cities. Three other California cities make the list, as well as New York City, Atlanta, and the nation’s capital.
The paper also notes that some—if only a few—cities “have not engaged in sweeps during the pandemic, but rather have worked hard to house those living outside,” including Pittsburgh, Santa Fe, and Cleveland.
See the source article for the full list, two dishonorable mentions, and how the NCH made its selections.
FULL STORY: DIRTY DOZEN MEANEST CITIES IN THE US

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

San Francisco Muni Raises Fares a Second Time
A 10–cent fare hike for adults is part of the agency’s plan to chip away at a growing budget deficit.

Electric Grid Capacity Could Hamstring EV Growth
Industry leaders say the U.S. electric grid is unprepared for the increased demand for power created by electric cars, data centers, and electric homes.

Texas Bill Supports Adaptive Reuse in Commercial Areas
Senate Bill 840, which was preliminarily approved by the state House, would allow residential construction in areas previously zoned for offices and commercial uses.
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 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