As low-income residents in New Orleans begin to rebuild their homes, historic regulations are disrupting the process and driving up costs.
"'I want to preserve the house as much as possible so it will be here for another 140 years,' he said. 'But it really doesn't make too much sense for me to have all the historical features of the house and not have electricity, not have plumbing, not have Sheetrock, or plaster on the walls.'"
"Hewitt's home in the Lower 9th Ward is among 16,000 properties in 13 neighborhoods that must be rebuilt according to strict standards established by the New Orleans Historic Districts Landmarks Commission. But the commission's costly requirements have raised questions about whether the rules hurt lower-income property owners."
"Landmarks commission Chairman Jesse LeBlanc said history is identity in New Orleans, and softening regulations is a slippery slope. The commission has issued 336 orders to stop construction work since Katrina."
FULL STORY: Homeowners Pinched by Preservation Rules

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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