Government / Politics

Long Beach Gated Community Must Provide Public Access
The development never fulfilled its mandate to build a public walkway through its property. Now, the Coastal Commission wants it to open its gates.

Rescue Plan has Billions Available for Housing, Advocates Urge Officials to Take It
With relatively few strings attached to the $350 billion in funds states and municipalities will receive, the door is wide open for governments to make a dent in their housing needs. But will they?

White House: Clean Up on Aisle Infrastructure
President Biden attempted to clean up the confusion he created shortly after he endorsed the Senate bipartisan infrastructure plan last week by linking it to the passage of his American Families Plan. On Tuesday, he promoted the plan in Wisconsin.

Water, Affordable Housing on a Collision Course in California
Marin County, the wealthy county in the North Bay Area with a history of exclusionary land use and transportation practices, is using the shortage of water to justify blocking the development of an affordable housing project.

Op-Ed: Los Angeles Needs a Countywide Affordable Housing Agency
A bill in the California state legislature would create an agency dedicated to coordinating the production and preservation of affordable housing across the county's 88 cities.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Compromise Includes Cuts to Transit and 'Human Infrastructure'
An agreement laid out last week by the White House and Republican lawmakers makes dramatic cuts to funding for public transit, rail, and "human infrastructure" projects while leaving highway funding almost intact.

Coronavirus Litigation: Students Sue University's Mandatory Vaccination Policy
Eight college students have filed a lawsuit on June 21 against Indiana University's requirement that students, staff and faculty be vaccinated against COVID-19. The state attorney general supports the students.

Pittsburgh Launches Pedestrian Safety Action Plan
The plan lays out strategies for improving pedestrian infrastructure and eliminating traffic deaths.

Biden on Senate Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan: 'We Have a Deal'
The plan, initially proposed by five Democratic and five Republican senators, calls for $1.2 billion in spending over 8 years. Biden wants to see a much larger plan in a second bill, which could potentially sink the package.

Biden Administration Seeks More Protection for Wetlands
In a reversal from Trump-era policy, the Biden administration wants to reinstate protections that prevent the contamination of streams and waterways.

Boise Aims to Go Carbon-Neutral by 2050, Adopts New Climate Plan
City leaders expressed enthusiastic support for the Climate Action Roadmap, a detailed plan for reducing carbon emissions, protecting the environment, and meeting other climate goals.

Five of Europe's Most Interesting Urbanism Trends
Cities around the continent are taking steps to reimagine transportation, housing, and energy use with intriguing projects that could provide useful lessons for American cities.

Oceanside Debates the Future of its Coastline
As sea levels rise, California's coastal communities face difficult decisions about how to preserve coastlines and mitigate the looming threat.

Opinion: Only Slower Traffic Reduces Traffic Deaths
A package of bills in the New York legislature seeks to increase licensing and safety requirements for bikes, e-bikes, and scooters. But research shows speeding and impaired driving are still the top killers of pedestrians and cyclists.

How Virginia Became a Leader in Passenger Rail
The state's consistent investment in passenger rail has resulted in one of the nation's most effective regional rail networks.

Visualizing the Western Drought
Lower-than-average rainfall and reduced snowpacks have led to one of the driest and most dangerous fire seasons in history.

Los Angeles Ordinance Will Ban Tenant Harassment
The law targets "knowing and willful" actions on the part of landlords meant to drive tenants out of rent-controlled apartments.

The Biden Administration's Ambiguous Position on Drilling in Alaska
The administration's support of a Conoco-Phillips project is at odds with its suspension of Trump-era oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Report: Collapsed Mexico City Train Line Had Major Structural Flaws
A New York Times investigation uncovered years of government documents showing that officials ignored warnings about major structural flaws and poorly performed work on the train line before its fatal collapse in May.

Bikelash Wins in Phoenix
Neighborhood opposition overwhelmed a plan to reduce the number of vehicles lanes on North Central Avenue to make space for a new bike lane, despite evidence of the benefits of the proposed street reconfiguration.
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