A motion in City Council would open the door to new protections for gentrifying areas.
A motion from Atlanta City Councilmember Keisha Lance Bottoms would have the city study the feasibility of implementing Displacement-Free Zones in neighborhoods impacted negatively by ongoing "revitalization" efforts.
Displacement-Free Zones—sometimes called Eviction-Free Zones—are packages of neighborhood-level laws and initiatives designed to mitigate the impacts of gentrification on longtime or low-income residents and business owners. A 2015 report from Governing placed Atlanta fifth on the list of gentrifying cities in the nation.
DFZs often cap increases on rent and property taxes for housing and small businesses. The designation is also used by activists to concentrate eviction-defense work in a strategic area. Cities including Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angles, San Francisco, Miami, Portland, and Cincinatti have considered or adopted DFZs in some neighborhoods.
If the motion passes, the Department of Planning and Community Development would have 120 days to provide its findings to the Atlanta City Council.
FULL STORY: Atlanta City Councilmember Keisha Lance Bottoms introduces legislation for Displacement Free Zones
Beltline Surpasses Annual Affordable Housing Goal
The Atlanta Beltline agency is actively working to prevent the displacement of longtime residents along the trail system, where property values are rising rapidly.
Austin Employs Team to Help Residents Avoid Displacement
The city’s new Displacement Prevention Navigators will conduct outreach and assist with finding resources to help cost-burdened residents at risk of losing their housing stay in their homes.
How To Prevent ‘Green Gentrification’: Lessons from the BeltLine
For one author, the key is focusing on affordable housing from the start.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie