Jessica Garrison and Angel Jennings report on a new lawsuit filed this week by the City of Los Angeles that is part of "an aggressive attempt to deal with the urban decay caused by the housing crash."
Marking the second time the City of Los Angeles has gone after a major bank for being a slumlord, officials announced civil allegations this week that, "found problems in the way US Bank handled 1,500
home foreclosures and cited more than 150 homes that had fallen into
disrepair. The city is demanding that the bank clean up vacant
properties and improve conditions for families living in others."
According to Garrison and Jennings, "City officials say they want to hold banks that helped fuel the housing
boom responsible for the blight that rippled through the city after
those loans went bad."
"[S]eeking an injunction and potentially millions of dollars in
penalties and restitution from the Minneapolis-based financial
institution," the approach being pursued by Los Angeles is novel, but may set a precedent for cities seeking creative ways to deal with problems resulting from foreclosures.
"Deutsche Bank and US Bank have argued that the blame for neglected,
foreclosed homes lies not with them but with loan servicers, who are
contracted to manage the properties."
FULL STORY: L.A. sues US Bank over blighted, abandoned homes
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
