In Salemi, Italy, 3000 villas ravaged in a 1968 earthquake are now on the market for about U.S.$1.41. However, interested buyers must adhere to a number of stipulations, including a two-year deadline for development.
"The idea, conceived with the help of advertising guru Oliviero Toscani, is to attract foreign investors interested in a remote Sicilian escape for vacations or businesses. (Italians have already passed on previous similar offers.) The authorities hope the plan will turn Salemi into a boomtown, employing hundreds of out-of-work locals in construction and renovation projects. 'These houses are like a heart pierced by a thorn,' says Toscani, who is best known for his controversial advertisement photography using human hearts and anorexic fashion models. 'They are dangerous, but they also represent a patrimony that is slowly dissolving away.'"
"The concept is inarguably one that would be beneficial to Sicily's stagnant economy on many levels. Increased revenue from taxes would boost infrastructure and there seems little question that unemployment, which hovers around 30 percent in this part of Italy, would decrease substantially as artisans are put to work on the renovations."
FULL STORY: Villa For Sale: Two Bucks

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

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)