On Friday, the D.C. Housing Authority mercifully closed its insultingly long public housing waiting list. With the average rent at $1,759/month for a one-bedroom apartment, the need for affordable housing in the city is tremendous.
"Those waiting for public housing in D.C. have become parents, they’ve become grandparents, they’ve had jobs, lost jobs, moved into nice apartments, been kicked out of bad ones. Some have even died while waiting, waiting, waiting for a place," writes Petula Dvorak. "The list is absurd, with more than 70,000 people waiting for one of 8,000 units."
"For the first time, that ridiculous waiting list closes on Friday. No new applicants. The D.C. Housing Authority plans to re-engineer and prune the list in an effort to make it more manageable and effective."
"Meanwhile, Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) offered some hope with a $100 million affordable housing plan, pledging to create or preserve 10,000 places to live for the elderly, the disabled and the working class. Only thing is, the plan calls for units to be built by 2020. There are lots of folks who need affordable housing right now."
"In all of the city’s giddy growth and $417 million in budget-surplus prosperity," she says, "we’ve completely forgotten to consider the housing needs of the workers who make this place run."
FULL STORY: In D.C., a public housing waiting list with no end
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.
Museum of Public Housing Opens in Chicago
The museum highlights the history of public housing in the United States using displays intimately woven with family artifacts.
How Will Rhode Island Spend a $120M Housing Bond?
Voters approved a bond measure that includes up to $10 million for creating a public housing entity.
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.
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.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie