United States

House Democrats Would Increase Transit Spending, Still Spend More on Highways
House Democrats proposed the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act as a five-year plan for transportation spending at the federal level. The bill is unlikely to make it any further than the House.

Advocates Respond to the Role of Public Transit in Protests and Arrests
The commandeering of buses for police to transport arrested protestors is raising questions about the allegiances of transit agencies in the United States.

Connecting the Dots Between Planning and Policing
The newest issue the Journal of Planning and Education Research responds to a clear need of the time: the need to address social justice in the public realm while reforming planning practices in the United States.

The Looming Eviction Crisis
Of all the nightmare scenarios that became possible when the coronavirus hit the shores of the United States, the possibility of massive evictions and a rental market failure seems to have averted the worst possible outcomes. That could still change.

Surveying the Fiscal Nightmare for Cities and States
Governing takes a tour through the fiscal impacts of a suddenly cratered economy and an ongoing public health crisis.

Laying the Groundwork for Cheaper Multi-Family Housing Construction
The processes of clearing land, building foundations, and making space for parking are three of the most expensive components of the construction process. Zoning can help reduce the costs to deliver more affordable housing supply.

Poverty Concentrating in Already High-Poverty Neighborhoods
A pair of reports analyzing U.S. Census Bureau poverty data from the last two decades show that high-poverty neighborhoods have become further impoverished.

Did the CDC Toll the Death Knell for Public Transit?
It's official—the nation's leading public health agency would prefer that Americans drive alone to work to reduce exposure to the coronavirus. New CDC guidance call for government to subsidize drive-alone and single ride-share commutes.

Making Space for the 'Invisible Cyclists' in Post-Pandemic Transportation Planning
As biking gains popularity as a transportation mode during the pandemic, planners are called on to elevate the role of "invisible cyclists"—people of color on bikes—in the process of redesigning and re-engineering streets.

U.S. Supreme Court Rules on State-Imposed Social Distancing Restrictions
In a 5-4 decision, the court voted to uphold the prohibition of religious services that was part of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order. While the restriction had since been loosened, the plaintiff wanted all restrictions removed.

The '30 by 30' Framework Sets an Ambitious Goal for Nature Conservation
California State Legislature committee approved AB 3030 in May, adopting a plan to save 30% of land and sea from development by the year 2030. The Convention on Biological Diversity is likely to follow in adopting the 30 by 30 framework.

Post-Pandemic Era of Shopping Malls Creates Opportunities for Downtowns
The COVID-19 pandemic and massive mall-retailer closings has left millions of highly skilled workers from the retail and food and beverage industries unemployed and eager to work. Many will seek to open their own businesses in downtowns.

Commandeered Buses, System Shutdowns—Transit on the Frontlines of Protests
The optics of public transit suffered over the weekend, as a few transit agencies have been commandeered by police and even shut down entirely with little or no notice, stranding protesters and essential workers alike.

The Urban Project: Urbanization, Urbanisms, and the Virus—A Historical Take
Perceptions of what makes density either "good" or "bad" have shifted over the years, and the pandemic is likely to precipitate another shift.

Guide to Planning for Public Health, Published by WHO and the UN
There is no planning without public health, according to a new guide released in a moment of global crisis for both professional fields.

Tight Housing Market Could Prime Economic Recovery
A recession is coming, though we don't know how big it will be or how long it will last. Compared to the Great Recession, the housing market could potentially help, rather than hurt, economic recovery, according to the analysis shared here.

Nextdoor Getting Cozy With Local Officials
CityLab investigates the practices of company officials at Nextdoor to cultivate relationships with police and local officials.

Code Enforcement as Coronavirus Response Policy
The Center for Community progress offers advice on effective code enforcement during a time of extreme economic duress.

Who Pays When Corporate Campuses Leave the Suburbs?
When corporations move out of the suburbs, they leaving behind largely unprofitable corporate campuses. Loss of property value and tax revenue follow in the communities they left.

New Census Report Captures the Housing Effects of Disasters
A new report from the U.S. Census Bureau offers a new approach to understanding the impact of disasters on local housing markets.
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