Federal agencies are ignoring the Rural Development Act that requires them to consider real estate in rural areas.
"The Rural Development Act requires federal agencies to study the costs and benefits of buying or renting space in rural settings, which traditionally have lower real estate costs than urban settings. The law was meant to help boost rural economies and save the government money.But the General Accounting Office found eight of 13 Cabinet-level agencies did not have a policy to even consider the option of locating offices in rural areas."
Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan
FULL STORY: Feds Not Considering Rural Areas

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.

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

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.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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