Suffering from widespread blight from foreclosures and absentee owners, a new "unofficial" Facebook page lets Atlanta residents play code compliance officer.
Christopher Seward looks at the Atlanta Code Enforcement Problems Facebook page whose purpose is to, "give Atlantans a place to post photos and information about code
enforcement violations and problem absentee property owners."
"The Facebook page reflects the frustrations of residents who have to
live near or pass by dilapidated structures, which police concede are
not only eyesores that bring down already falling property values but
also pose potential public health hazards, are havens for crime and
erode the quality of life," writes Seward.
Due to the economic meltdown, derelict buildings are a growing problem in the city. Seward reports that, "Last year, Mayor Kasim Reed put the city's code enforcement under the direction
of the Atlanta Police Department, which set out to eliminate more than
4,500 backlogged cases and deal with 1,200 inactive code enforcement
cases."
Its unclear from the article if the city consults the Facebook page when evaluating new or existing code enforcement cases.
FULL STORY: Facebook page targets Atlanta’s property code violators
Audit: Police Should Take On Atlanta Zoning Enforcement
A city audit recommends shifting zoning enforcement from the planning department to the police department.
Comment: EPA Cuts will Send Atlanta Back to Eye-burning Ozone, Lung-damaging Smog, and Raw Sewage in the Chattahoochee River
A veteran political journalist takes stock of the hard-earned ground Georgia stands to lose with slashed environmental protection.
How Atlanta Built 7,000 Housing Units in 3 Years
The city’s comprehensive, neighborhood-focused housing strategy focuses on identifying properties and land that can be repurposed for housing and encouraging development in underserved neighborhoods.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
San Francisco Muni Raises Fares a Second Time
A 10–cent fare hike for adults is part of the agency’s plan to chip away at a growing budget deficit.
Electric Grid Capacity Could Hamstring EV Growth
Industry leaders say the U.S. electric grid is unprepared for the increased demand for power created by electric cars, data centers, and electric homes.
Texas Bill Supports Adaptive Reuse in Commercial Areas
Senate Bill 840, which was preliminarily approved by the state House, would allow residential construction in areas previously zoned for offices and commercial uses.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions