Already, the Ghost Ship tragedy is being used as a justification for code enforcement crackdowns that will likely further gentrification. But how can we combat gentrification and displacement and improve safety at the same time?
It’s usually hard to distinguish a victim of gentrification. Many people have a story of getting priced out of their neighborhoods, of being looked at with mistrust by their new neighbors, or of creating beauty with few financial resources, only to have that aesthetic co-opted by capitalism. But gentrification isn’t usually as directly fatal as it was in Oakland earlier [last] week.
At the time of this writing, 36 people have died in a fire at the Ghost Ship warehouse, which was a live-work-play space for artists who were trying to hang on to community in the face of San Francisco’s tech boom. The space lacked sprinklers, fire exits, and other important safety features, increasing the chance of a deadly accident. 2016 has been an awful year, but Ghost Ship has hit my community of queers, artists, and others on the margin particularly hard because it could so easily have been any of us. Some of the highlights of my life have taken place in crumbling buildings packed with my beloveds, where the floors shook with our dancing, or we sat on each other’s laps to listen to a band.
We are going to need community now more than ever to weather the incoming administration, but in the back of our minds, we will wonder whether it’s safe to gather. I have resources and could leave, although my life would be colder and less interesting. The ones that will be left in unsafe situations are the ones for whom a structurally unsafe home is better than the alternative.
FULL STORY: Gentrification Was the Killer in Oakland Fire

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