One of the sad contradictions of the revival of core urban areas has been the clash between waves of investment and affluence with large populations of homelessness. Many cities are still coming to terms with the issue, much less solving it.
"As once derelict or sleepy downtown districts in U.S. cities evolve into thriving hot spots, officials are grappling with what to do about homeless populations that have long inhabited them," according to an article by Arian Campo-Flores, Cameron McWhirter and Alejandro Lazo.
The article also notes that thought he number of homeless people around the country is declining overall, several cities, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Seattle, the number is increasingly. "In New York, the homeless population increased nearly 42% to 75,323 from 53,187," for instance.
As planners know, redevelopment exacerbates the homelessness issue in more ways that one: "While city officials, who often support redevelopment, face added pressure from new residents to address homelessness, advocates for the unsheltered say the response too often is to try to remove them from sight without providing adequate support."
Besides those most famous of U.S. cities listed above, the article also spends some time in Tulsa, where downtown revitalization has meant that the city's homeless population is "no longer out of site out of mind."
FULL STORY: Thriving U.S. Cities Grapple With Homelessness Surge
Massive Empire State Complex Gains Key Political Support
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is backing one of the largest real estate development projects in U.S. history—larger even than the nearby Hudson Yards project.
Seasoned Developer Opines on California’s Housing Crisis
Bill Witte, CEO and chairman of Related California, discusses how state and local governments ought to respond to the state’s challenges with housing affordability, growth in homelessness, and 'missing middle' housing supply.
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Cities in flyover country are facing new redevelopment challenges as companies relocate from costly coastal cities. In St. Louis, downtown revitalization has also brought plans to tackle blight, and the consequences for residents could be immense.
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.
Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.
Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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