United States

Georgia Mask Ban Reversed After White House Coronavirus Task Force Issues Critical Report
Shortly after a private White House report blasted Georgia's pandemic response, Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order allowing cities and counties to impose requirements on mask-wearing. The report was leaked to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

Counties and Cities Facing Sudden Dip in Property Tax Revenue
Property taxes have traditionally been viewed as recession-proof channels for local revenue, but first the Great Recession, and now the pandemic depression, are proving to be exceptions to the rule.

Comparing the Racial Segregation of U.S. Cities
The City Observatory used American Community Survey from the U.S. Census to compare the segregation of the largest U.S. cities. Portland is the most integrated American city; Detroit is the most segregated U.S. city.

Apartment Construction Slowed in 2020, Without the Pandemic's Help
The construction shutdowns and slow economic activity of the pandemic aren't the only reason Denver and other U.S. cities are seeing a slowdown in construction completions in 2020, according to a recent report.
New Leadership at the American Society of Landscape Architects
The American Society of Landscape Architects has hired a new chief executive officer: Torey Carter-Conneen, previously chief operation officer of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Report Details Dire Fiscal Straits of Local Governments
The National League of Cities has produced a highly-anticipated report detailing the fiscal fallout of the sudden and swift economic downturn that followed the coronavirus to American shores.

Digital Roundtable Discusses Silicon Valley's Urbanist Future
Highlighting the ways in which the pandemic’s disruption is unleashing innovation, panelists share their hope for streamlining public-private collaborations to solve some of the region’s housing, transportation, and equity challenges.

How and Why to Cancel Rent During the Pandemic Depression
The rallying cry to cancel rent has been heard since the early days of the pandemic, but it takes on new urgency now as the economic effects of the pandemic linger past the expiration date of eviction moratoriums.

Another Grim Coronavirus Milestone: This Time in Southern California
COVID-19 deaths topped 5,000 in Los Angeles County last week as deaths continue to mount due to a hasty reopening after an early shutdown. The center of the of outbreak in California now shifts to the Central Valley.

Economic Recovery in Legacy Cities
Americans living in legacy cities face a unique set of challenges and opportunities in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Several local, state, and federal support strategies could aid these cities in recouping losses.

Lasting Affordability Is the Path to Resilience
These six housing investment strategies will incorporate lasting affordability, racial equity, and resilience into COVID-19 recovery plans.

Public Transit in Crisis: Low-Income Riders Have the Most to Lose From Service Cuts
Riders who rely most on public transit are suffering the worst consequences of the cuts to service during the fiscal belt tightening of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Disconnect Between Virus Prevalence and Local Business Climate
Public health experts assert that to safely reopen the economy, the coronavirus needs to be contained. In Manhattan, where the virus is largely controlled, chain restaurants are closing while their sister stores in Florida are expanding.

Resilient Los Angeles: Preparing for Overlapping Disasters in Pandemic
L.A. City Chief Resilience Officer Aaron Gross elaborates on how the pandemic is shaping the city’s understanding of resilience and the cascading impact that overlapping disasters of earthquake or wildfire could have on the city’s limited resources.

Advocates: It's Time to Get Back on Transit
The story about the safety of public transit has changed since the early days of the pandemic.

It's High Time for a Community-Led Economic Recovery
Past recoveries have only exacerbated structural inequalities. The recovery from the current economic and social crises can't afford to make the mistakes, according to a recent paper from researchers at the Brookings Institution.

Investment in Public Transit Could Reduce the Need for Police Traffic Enforcement
In Nick Demarsh and Rick Banks' opinion, defunding the police requires cities to reconsider car culture.

Mobility-as-a-Service Still Searching for a Market Foothold
Policymakers and venture capital firms love the idea of Mobility-as-a-Service. The public hasn't proven as receptive, despite the willingness to download apps by the millions.

The Two Conflicting Sides of the Federal Approach to the Pandemic
While President Trump is publicly stating the virus "will soon disappear," his task force is releasing detailed, county-level data on how all 50 states are dealing with the coronavirus and making recommendations – but the reports are not public.

Skepticism for Trump's Executive Orders
President Trump put on a show while signing a batch of executive orders late last week, but on further evaluation, the president's signatures on these orders aren't likely to save anyone from the economic devastation of the coronavirus.
Pagination
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.
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