Stanley Kurtz traces the mechanisms by which he believes President Obama intends to "abolish" the suburbs in a possible second term, and the roots of his desire, stretching back to his training as a community organizer.
Seeing a vast anti-suburban conspiracy aimed at "sweeping social change" to be executed through a "little-known and seemingly modest program called the Sustainable Communities Initiative," Kurtz warns of the Obama administration's plans to "force suburban residents into densely packed cities," "move the poor out of cities by imposing
low-income-housing quotas on development in middle-class suburbs," and expand a "'regional tax-base sharing' scheme
currently in place in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area to the rest of the
country."
"Obama is a longtime supporter of 'regionalism,' the idea that the
suburbs should be folded into the cities, merging schools, housing,
transportation, and above all taxation," notes Kurtz. "To this end, the president has
already put programs in place designed to push the country toward a
sweeping social transformation in a possible second term. The goal:
income equalization via a massive redistribution of suburban tax money
to the cities."
FULL STORY: Burn Down the Suburbs?
Where 2024 Presidential Candidates Stand on 12 Issues Important to Urban Planners
Whether you’re yet undecided or have already cast your early vote, here is a roundup of the key positions of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on important urban planning policies.
Commentary: New Bill Holds Key to Solving US Housing Crisis. We Just Have to Pass It.
Two bills currently moving through Congress could make mass production of prefabricated, affordable housing possible on a large scale.
Amtrak Expanding Service in California’s Central Valley
Amtrak is planning a major expansion to the passenger rail lines connecting the Central Valley and the Bay Area.
Denver Slaughterhouse Measure Reveals Impacts of Meat Industry
Voters did not approve a measure that would have closed a slaughterhouse that is key to the nation’s lamb production.
Chicago Transit Increasing Rail Service to Pre-Pandemic Levels
The Chicago Transit Authority is close to returning both rail and bus service to pre-pandemic schedules, with some adjustments for new travel demand.
Baltimore Traffic Suffering From Absence of Key Bridge
The loss of a key route to the Port of Baltimore is causing major delays and long detours on alternate routes.
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.
University of Southern California
City of Meridian
University of Calgary
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
Detroit Regional Partnership
San Joaquin LAFCo
City of South Portland