Miami-Dade Commissioner Barbara Jordan has expressed concerns that seldom-used churches aren’t paying taxes, take up valuable land, and would be better used to build housing for the Black community.
"At a forum Wednesday focused on 'The State of Black Miami,' a top advocate for expanding prosperity into minority neighborhoods said one hurdle comes from seldom-used churches taking up valuable land," Douglas Hanks reports in the Miami Herald.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Barbara Jordan commented at a community development event that many Black communities had too many churches and not enough homes, suggesting that many houses of worship were only open sporadically and not serving a community that has consistently lagged in homeownership. "Jordan last year proposed a county law requiring developers of new projects to either set aside a portion of homes for working-class buyers or pay into a fund to subsidize similar units elsewhere. In exchange, Miami-Dade would let the developers build beyond density restrictions in zoning codes," Hanks writes.
FULL STORY: In battle to close Miami’s wealth gap, even churches can be an obstacle
Miami Housing More Expensive Than New York City, Report Says
New data shows stratospheric housing costs in cities not named New York.
Rent Increases Highest for Lowest-Income Households
Renters at the lower end of the spectrum see no relief in sight as rent hikes remain stubbornly high.
The Quiet Housing Crisis in Rural America
While housing shortages in major cities are grabbing headlines, rural communities are seeing higher rates of growth in housing prices and a silently spreading homelessness crisis.
New York Governor Advances Housing Plan Amid Stiff Suburban Opposition
Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious proposal to create more housing has once again run into a brick wall of opposition in New York’s enormous suburbs, especially on Long Island. This year, however, the wall may have some cracks.
Rethinking the Role of Parking in the American City
In cities big and small, the tide is turning against sprawling parking lots, car-centric development, and minimum parking mandates.
Friday Eye Candy: 20 AI-Generated Cityscapes
AI-generated images are creating new landscapes and cityscapes, capable of inspiring awe or fear.
Rent Increases Highest for Lowest-Income Households
Renters at the lower end of the spectrum see no relief in sight as rent hikes remain stubbornly high.
A Dallas Architect Designs Statement Buildings With a Purpose
The Dallas Morning News’ architecture critic profiles one of the city’s most important current architects.
Biden Designates a New National Monument in West Texas
The Castner Range National Monument in West Texas is the second of two new national monuments announced by President Joe Biden this week.
Princeton Planning
City of College Park
Houston-Galveston Area Council
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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.
