Coronavirus and Urbanism

Architecture Billings Show a Modest Rebound
Many architecture firms are still struggling, but the industry, a bellwether for planning and the larger economy, has recovered a little from the lows of the spring and summer months.

How Scaled Affordable Housing Asset Management Helps in the Time of COVID
How the Joint Ownership Entity NYC is helping its community developer members stay strong during COVID.

Abandoned Rural Spain Rebounds With People Fleeing Cities
COVID-19 is leading an exodus to rural areas, according to this article. The shift could hurt the economies of cities, but it also presents opportunities for younger residents and people looking for a more sustainable lifestyle.

Seattle Extends Outdoor Dining for a Year, Eases Rules on Heaters for the Winter
Outdoor dining is going to hang out for a bit.

Real Estate Market Setting Records in One of the West's Most Desirable Escapes
Jackson Hole, Wyoming is seeing a pandemic bump in real estate prices that mirrors the experience of vacation and tourism towns all over the United States.

Announcing an Antidote for Planning Uncertainty: A Pandemic Tool Kit for Local Governments
A new toolkit shares 22 actions governments should take to get the economy restarted, including the regulatory or policy tools needed to implement the actions.

The Metrics of Outdoor Dining
Outdoor dining programs are proving popular in cities all over the United States, as a lifeline for both restaurants and residents seeking some social normalcy. Data from San Francisco reveal the numbers behind the phenomenon.

3 Cities That Will Thrive Post-Pandemic—and 2 That Might Struggle
The most promising cities after COVID won't necessarily be the same that were ideal before.

Big Tech Bets on the Big Apple
Amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic, the four biggest U.S. technology companies have leased or bought enough office space in New York City for 22,000 employees.

The U.S. Might Soon Be Surpassed in Coronavirus Infections
India could be on track to overtake the United States in the number of COVID-19 cases. The surge is explained by a sharp and growing urban-rural divide in the ability and willingness to follow public health measures.

New Skyscraper Added to Chicago's Skyline in Uncertain Times for Downtown Commercial Uses
A riverfront revival was well underway in Chicago. Then the pandemic hit. How can a splashy new downtown commercial development expect to fare in Covid's world?

Do We Know Any More About the Future of Cities Than We Did in April 2020?
The conversation about how the pandemic might alter the direction of planning and urbanism, unlike the spread of the coronavirus, has remained steady since March.

A Struggling Commercial District Searches for Opportunity in Crisis
A commercial district in a wealthy part of Washington, D.C. is shedding high-profile businesses. A reboot is in order, according to local business owners and political leaders.

Trump Decision to Bail on Federal Stimulus Pushes Music Venues Over the Brink
Public transit, employment, homelessness, foreclosures—all hang in the balance as the federal government falters with a proposed economic recovery package. So does the prospect of going to a show after the pandemic.

As U.S. Transportation Infrastructure Holds Back Economic Recovery, It's Time for Change
Opinion: Six months into the pandemic, the state of the U.S. economy reveals that the planning profession can support struggling Americans by focusing on transportation and the land use patterns that enable mass transit.

Park Planning in a Pandemic
In pursuit of a grant for park development, Los Angeles County engages community members virtually to gather input and design a new park.

Strange Days: Outrage Absent as Businesses Reclaim Parking Spots
It took a pandemic, but the worldwide effort to move restaurant and retail businesses outside, at the expense of parking, is proving far less controversial than it would have before the coronavirus swept the globe.

Overdue Rent Could Equal $34 Billion by January 2021
As Americans deal with job losses and ongoing unemployment, rent bills are piling up and a wave of evictions looms on the horizon.

Rents Dropping Across the U.S., but Especially in Big, Wealthy Cities
People are moving less and rents are dropping, according to a new report from Apartment List.

As Vacancy Rates Climb in New York's Rental Market, Landlords Blame New Rent Control Law
Vacancy rates in New York City have climbed to unexpected heights in 2020, and landlords aren't pinning all the blame on a pandemic-induced urban exodus.
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