Donald Trump rode waves of anti-urban sentiment to the White House. But is some city smugness forgivable if urban economies subsidize rural places?

"A political backlash against cities is brewing, and it might have been expected, given the last several years of urban triumphalism." In response to that edgy column by Ross Douthat in the New York Times, Renee Loth counters that cities are still under-prioritized in many ways.
For one thing, urban areas often contribute more to the pot than they get, and that'll only worsen under Trump policies. "[...] urban tax dollars are already subsidizing rural counties. A disproportionate amount of federal dollars flow to mostly rural states, while richer states with large urban centers pay more in taxes than they receive in federal benefits."
Loth concludes, "If Douthat and friends want to redistribute the wealth, why not call for a guaranteed minimum wage, or free college and vocational tuition — or adjust tax rates so the rich pay their fair share, wherever they might live?"
FULL STORY: Can the cities survive Trump?

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing
The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.
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