Concerned that a proposed highway from the Alftanes peninsula to the Reykjavik suburbs will disturb Icelandic elf habitat, an elf lobbying group is joining forces with environmentalists to try to stop the project.

"An Icelandic group called the Hrauvinir, or 'Friends of the Lava,' have joined with environmentalists to seek an injunction from the country's Supreme Court against a building project by the Icelandic Road and Coastal Commission which was green-lit in September," reports Zachary Green. "In addition to arguments about the environmental impact of such a project, the Hrauvinir also claim that the road work will disturb the 'Huldufolk' -- or 'hidden folk' -- the ancient elves of Iceland."
No, dear readers, this is not a joke. According to Green: "The belief in elves is widespread enough and the objections to road work projects that might disturb ancient elf habitats so frequent, that the Icelandic Road and Coastal Commission has written a boilerplate, standard reply for any press inquiries on the subject, saying it will not answer questions on whether its 'employees do or do not believe in elves and 'hidden people' because opinion differs greatly on this and it tends to be a rather personal matter.'"
FULL STORY: In Iceland, elves aren't just Santa's little helpers

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials
C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.

BART Closes $35 Million Deficit
Cost control and revenue generation measures prevented service cuts.

The New Parisian Hearse is a Bicycle
Sleek, silent, and sustainable, a green trip to the graveyard has hit the streets of the French capital.
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