It's no secret that urban centers are doing better today than they were 30 years ago. New FHFA data on housing prices confirms the trend and suggests that a changing environment (as opposed to changing preferences) account for it.

Chances are you already know about the "urban renaissance" currently sweeping the United States. "Downtown boosters and academics have argued that we're witnessing an urban revival in the United States. But there remains deep debate over how widespread the pattern really is and whether it points to a fundamental shift in where and how Americans live."
Emily Badger and Darla Cameron cover a new home price index from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, "based on unprecedented mortgage data covering 18,000 zip codes and nearly 100 million transactions between 1975 and 2015" that gauges how homes appreciate and depreciate in value.
The index confirms that central areas have indeed become more desirable and expensive. The researchers also point to patterns suggesting that consumer preferences (such as a supposed millennial proclivity for the city) do not account for the change. "'Data suggests that you don't need changing preferences in order to arrive at the patterns we see,' [senior economist William D. Larson] says."
"The traffic got worse. The crime lessened. The amenities improved. And at least some people have accrued more wealth to spend on high-end restaurants. In many ways, it's the environment that has changed, not us, Larson argues."
The data also shows that alongside an urban price renaissance, suburbs and exurbs are still growing even faster. The demographics, however, are shifting: wealthier and whiter in the cities, more people of color in the suburbs.
FULL STORY: Americans are paying more to live in the very places they once abandoned

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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