Self-contained subdivisions in Northern Virginia, while advertising a "sense of community," are excluding their rural neighbors, who feel they are no longer welcome in their own towns.
Residents of rapidly suburbanizing rural towns in Northern Virginia have suddenly become foreigners in their own land as new, self-contained developments take over the landscape. These so-called "privatopias" are distorting the traditional sense of "community" by creating a parallel set of "private" amenities - parks, swimming pools, etc. - that are otherwise maintained by municipal authorities. Unfortunately, the neighbors of these new subdivisions find they're rarely welcome to take part in community life.
Thanks to Daniel Reed
FULL STORY: Subdivisions Impose Social Divide

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

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

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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