Housing starts and permits are slowing nationwide. The current pace of construction would have been considered a trough in pre-recession economic cycles.

Andrea Riquier reports on housing data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce this week. The data show housing starts slowing for the nation as a whole, falling short of expectations and reaching lows not seen since the early days of the Trump administration.
Housing starts were at a 1.14 million seasonally adjusted annual rate in March, the Commerce Department said Friday, 0.3% lower compared to February.
It missed the MarketWatch consensus of a 1.225 million seasonally adjusted annual rate and was the lowest since May 2017.
Permits fell 1.7% to a rate of 1.27 million. Economists expected a 1.3 million rate on permits.
In addition to sharing the new data, Riquier also writes about how the slow housing construction industry fits into the big picture of an economy that includes constrained supply, memories of the last recession, a tight labor market, expensive materials, and complex regulatory environments.
FULL STORY: Housing starts lurch to a near 2-year low

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

Test News Post 1
This is a summary

Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.

Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service