Access to affordable healthy food is a problem in poor communities throughout the U.S. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and a local non-profit have developed one way to quickly boost the healthy food infrastructure in food deserts.
"Starting Thursday, a van filled with fresh produce will hit the streets of the lower East Side, East Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood — aiming to bring low-cost, healthy food to the poor and the elderly," reports Tanay Warerkar.
“'We want to introduce mobile infrastructure to provide the most affordable options to underserved neighborhoods in the city,' said Michael Hurwitz of GrowNYC, a food and environment non-profit that is working on the project with Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer."
"Just $10 buys about 10 pounds of carrots, tomatoes, corn and other everyday foods — enough for a family of two for a week," adds Warerkar. "Hurwitz said Veggie Van produce will be priced 50% to 75% less than supermarkets.
FULL STORY: Produce-laden van to visit Manhattan ‘food deserts’
Controversy Brews Over NYU's Plan for the Village
NYU's plans to expand further into Greenwich Village, with the square footage of four new buildings proposed in their strategic plan equivalent to that of the Empire State Building, have raised concerns for the fate of the signature neighborhood.
Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps
New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.
Food Insecurity in LA County Remains Alarmingly High Despite Some Improvement
Food insecurity in Los Angeles County remains above the national average, disproportionately affecting low-income and minority households, with researchers calling for expanded assistance and systemic solutions to address ongoing disparities.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.
Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.
In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont