Lee County, Florida saw a 30% increase in its homeless population. A new shelter system that addresses mental health and addiction problems is helping keep homeless out of jail and on the right track.
The Bob Janes Triage Center and Low Demand Shelter does not turn away those that are intoxicated or have a mental illness, unlike many other such centers in the U.S., writes Caroline Cournoyer:
"...nearly half the clients who have gone through the center have been placed into treatment programs or permanent housing. Having the shelter has reduced the amount of time police officers spend dealing with nonviolent, would-be offenders, meaning the cops are free to focus on more serious threats. The shelter has helped cut the number of low-level offenders in the county jail by 25 percent..."
FULL STORY: How A County Reduces Homeless and Jail Populations Simultaneously
Utah to Build New, 1,200-Bed Shelter Campus
The state’s attempt to decentralize emergency homeless shelters yielded poor results, leading to a decision to develop a “transformative” intake campus with wraparound services.
New York Suspends Land Use Reviews for Shelters
The Adams administration in New York City will relax the review process for homeless shelters to create new space for arriving asylum seekers.
Oakland to Consider 1,000-Room Homeless Shelter
Oakland, California, will consider a former Army base as the location for its largest shelter as its population of people experiencing homelessness grows.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.
Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.
Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest
Hundreds of volunteers across five counties participated in the first Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz, surveying oak trees for signs of the invasive beetle and contributing valuable data to help protect Southern California’s native woodlands.
Opinion: How Geothermal HVAC Lowers Costs, Improves Grid Resilience
Geothermal heating and cooling systems can reduce energy costs and dramatically improve efficiency.
Tenant Screening: A Billion-Dollar Industry with Little Oversight. What’s Being Done to Protect Renters?
Reports show that the data tenant screening companies use is often riddled with errors and relies on information that has no bearing on whether someone will be a good tenant.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)