In an effort to curb the culture of discrimination enabled on its platform, Airbnb will roll out new features to ensure better service for minorities.
"Airbnb may finally be making good on its promise to 'take swift action' to redress recent user complaints of discrimination," reports Victoria M. Massie.
The company recently announced that beginning October 1, "it will be implementing an 'open doors' policy whereby it will find accommodations for people who were not able to book a listing due to discrimination."
In reponse to online criticism, Airbnb recently conducted a "top-down review," and produced a 32 page-report that is released along with the announcement of the new policy.
FULL STORY: After fierce criticism, Airbnb is finally trying to stop discrimination
Tracking the Growth of the 'Gig Economy' in U.S. Cities
The Brookings Institute thinks it has found a way to measure the impact of the expanding 'gig economy'—i.e., freelancing work enabled by online platforms like Airbnb and Uber.
Job Losses Strike a Blow to Gig Economy Darlings
Uber and Airbnb both announced massive layoffs this week, after Lyft did the same last week, as the coronavirus pandemic took a toll on very contemporary corners of the economy.
Ride-Hail Drivers Strike Today. Will Riders Boycott?
Uber is expected to be valued at $91 billion for an Initial Public Offering this spring. Initial investors will get rich. Drivers won't get much.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association