Residents in New Orleans' still-struggling 9th Ward are considering the creation of a land trust to help revitalize the neighborhood.
Residents would be able to own their homes, but not the land. But some locals argue that it doesn't make long-term sense for families to by homes but not the land.
"Under the trust, a person can purchase a home, but the land underneath the structure would be leased from the trust. The trust project is being piloted in the Lower 9th, but the plan is for similar community land trusts to be set up in other New Orleans neighborhoods with distressed properties.
But some longtime residents oppose the project, saying that the Lower 9th Ward has no need for anything other than traditional home ownership. And, the Holy Cross section of the community would seem to support this.
The tensions surrounding this debate have roots in past injustices. Even before flood waters swept through the community, Jones said, predatory lenders were snapping up properties through foreclosures. After the government-built flood protection system failed, some New Orleanians argued that the Lower 9th Ward shouldn't be repopulated at all."
FULL STORY: Own a Home, But Not the Land
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.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie