While some or all eviction cases may be reinstated, the housing authority has said it needs time to “review policies and determine what is fair and reasonable.”
In the midst of a major restructuring of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the ARHA has temporarily suspended eviction proceedings against its tenants.
“The ARHA resident eviction process was put on pause because of questions of process raised by tenant advocates as well as city staff,” Mark Jinks, president of ARHA’s board of commissioners told ALXnow, who reported the story.
The pause comes in a time of upheaval for the authority. After the previous nine-member board of commissioners resigned and CEO Erik Johnson was fired, a new board was installed last month by city council “to reverse a ‘system failure,’” ALXnow quotes Mayor Alyia Gaskins. Former residents and employees advocated for the eviction freeze due to errors in the ledgers.
At the same time, city council has also directed the board to improve living conditions in ARHA units, prompting a third party inspection of all ARHA-owned and related units, including private landlords with renters who hold federal rental vouchers. So far, 191 ARHA unit inspections have been completed, of which 57 failed.
Read the full story: Alexandria’s public housing authority suspends evictions amid reorganization
Study: 'Sudden shocks' are driving up homelessness rates
Evictions and climate disasters are leading causes of sharp spikes in unhoused populations.
Chicago Mayor ‘Willing to Consider’ Eviction Freeze as ICE Raids Mount
Tenant advocates say many workers are staying home due to fears of immigration raids, putting some households behind on rent.
Sonoma County Bans Evictions During Disaster Recovery
Low-income renters face an increased risk of eviction after a natural disaster. Most cities and states don’t offer any protection.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority