Altoona, Pennsylvania, is proposing to replace its current private trash collection system with a municipal single-hauler contract to help combat blight, but opponents say that the city is removing consumer choice.
Over the past decades, Altoona has taken aggressive action to remediate wide spread blight in the city. Now, Altoona is striking at garbage. With close to half of city code complaints regarding the accumulation of trash, the city's building code inspectors are spending much of their scare time and resources chasing trash offenders, while refuse piles up and decays.
A city commissioned study says that switching to a single contract hauler would save the city and residents money, by collecting all accumulated trash and negociating a volume rate with the local landfill.
Opponents, including the local private haulers, worry the new system would lead to a monopoly.
Read the full story: Study Supports Contracting With One Hauler
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Data reveals that NYC’s bet on congestion pricing has paid off
After almost two years of the program, reports show positive impacts on traffic and air quality and no disruptions to parking.
HUD modernizes 50-year-old manufactured housing framework
The Next Generation Manufactured Housing Action Plan establishes new energy-efficiency standards for manufactured homes, and new guidelines for anchoring them.
Florida could lose billions in funding for infrastructure, parks
If Amendment 3 passes, Miami-Dade would lose about $445 million annually by fiscal year 2028-29.
New Mexico spent millions drafting climate goals. Data centers are unraveling them
Three data centers in New Mexico and El Paso will release more emissions yearly than 2 million cars in the same timeframe.
This Ohio town is using AI to speed up transit analysis
The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority’s new AI tool correctly determined riders’ preferred ways to reach key commuter routes.
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.
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority