The office amenities of yore are out. Quick, painless commutes are in.

What would get you back to the office? Employers all over the country want to know. Writing in Curbed, Kim Velsey provides the answer: “an easier commute.”
As Velsey explains, “Rock-climbing walls, Equinox-caliber gyms and rooftop bars are nice, but what workers really want, it seems, is an easier commute.” These trends, which were already fading pre-pandemic, lost their luster even more in the days of remote work. “When tenants get off work, how many of them really want to linger around their offices for a yoga class or drinks at the rooftop bar?”
Ultimately, data seems to show that “Coming off years of remote work, many people just want to get home, or at least to entertainments and companions of their choosing, after a full day at the office.” In New York City, younger companies that previously couldn’t afford office space can now rent offices in prime, transit-rich locations that let workers get to and from work quickly. Buildings around Manhattan’s Grand Central Station are seeing occupancy rates higher than the rest of the borough.
FULL STORY: What Really Brings People Back to the Office? The Easiest Commute.

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.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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