Boston Mayor, Martin Walsh's, climate change plan is one of the most thorough in the country. The question remains: Will any of the plan be put into action?
The office of Boston Mayor Martin Walsh released a climate preparedness report on December 8, 2016. "The 400-page report outlines an array of options for 'climate-proofing' the city, including the creation of a decentralized energy grid, the construction of a barrier in Boston Harbor to protect against storm surges, [and] expanded flood insurance coverage," according to reporting from Rob Deleo in Next City.
Still, Deleo worries that the plan may be easier to construct than to realize. "Anticipatory policymaking is political kryptonite. Voters reward politicians for projects that procure immediate benefits, not long-term and potentially intrusive planning projects that take years to produce clearly observable outputs," he writes. While Deleo argues that preparation will be much less expensive than later repair, preparation can be difficult to sell to voters who can be more easily persuaded by immediate problems than looming disasters.
FULL STORY: Why Boston’s Mayor Alone Can’t Save the City From Flooding
New Study Reveals Massive, Unaccounted Flood Risk
The Federal Emergency Management Agency undercounts the humber of homes at substantial risk of flooding by some 70 percent, according to a report released this week.
Boston Unveils New Shoreline Resilience Plan
With the news of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report predicting dire consequences of climate change and seal level rise still fresh, the city of Boston has released a plan for how it will shore up its coastline.
Boston to Require Developers to Detail Resilience Efforts
Hurricane Sandy served as a wake up call for many cities to the dangers of rising seas and more extreme storms. To prepare for these threats, officials in Boston have proposed zoning rules that would require developers to detail mitigation measures.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials
C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.
BART Closes $35 Million Deficit
Cost control and revenue generation measures prevented service cuts.
The New Parisian Hearse is a Bicycle
Sleek, silent, and sustainable, a green trip to the graveyard has hit the streets of the French capital.
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.
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland