Government / Politics

The World's Worst COVID Outbreak
Brazil has surpassed the U.S. and led the world in the daily average of COVID-19 deaths and coronavirus infections during the last week. Experts point to a coronavirus variant and the lack of a federal strategy, leaving states without assistance.

Exporting California's Housing Challenges? Correcting the Record on Out-Migration
Michael Storper and Patrick Condon opine on what California's population demographics really reveal about housing, density, economic development, jobs, and affordability.

Density, Affordability, and the 'Hungry Dogs' of Land Price Speculation
Patrick Condon argues that increasing density without affordability inflates urban land values, resulting in nearly all of the value of labor and creative enterprise of entrepreneurs in regional economies being absorbed as land wealth.

Mask Order Standoff in Texas: Attorney General vs. Austin and Travis County
It's pandemic déjà vu in the Lone Star State, with local governments wanting to protect their constituents from an increase in viral transmission, a power preempted by Gov. Abbott's executive order. Attorney General Ken Paxton lost the first round.

Meet Marcia Fudge, Biden's Pick for HUD Secretary
The Ohio Congresswoman will face massive challenges as she steps into a leading role during one of the country's worst housing crises.

TxDOT Faces Lawsuit from Harris County Over I-45 Plan
The lawsuit over the controversial I-45 project, which has been plagued by local opposition, calls for a new environmental review.

Deconstructing Saint Jane
The iconic urban thinker has influenced generations of planners, but how do her ideas hold up in an age of massive upheaval and economic inequality?

California's Kern County Weighs Proposal to Approve Thousands of New Oil Wells
The oil-rich county hopes to boost its economy with a revised plan for new drilling after a state court struck down a 2015 ordinance.

Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Will Live or Die in the Next Administration
Construction on the Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar, a potential legacy project for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, was supposed to begin in 2019. The fate of the heavily debated project will rest with the next mayor.

Louisiana's $50 Billion Coastal Restoration Plan Moves Forward
A $50 billion plan to replenish lost coastal land could have significant impacts on local marine life and fishing industries.

Industry Wins a Round Over Building Efficiency Requirements
New regulations prohibit cities from enacting stricter efficiency standards in new buildings.

Can Emissions Reductions Last Beyond the Pandemic?
The dramatic reductions in carbon emissions during the last year only highlight how drastically humans must change behavior to meet climate goals.

Return to Normal: CDC Releases Initial Post-Vaccination Guidance
Millions of fully vaccinated Americans who have been anxiously awaiting new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on what they can now do safely were given initial recommendations that apply only to private settings.

Bloomberg Funds New 'Center for Cities' at Harvard
The $150-million endowment will expand the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and develop capacity-building programs for mayors and city leaders.

Carbon Emissions Back on the Rise—Along With Cleaner Energy
Climate-friendly government policies and recent investments by energy companies are accelerating the growth of renewables.

Santa Monica Institutes 'Zero-Emissions Delivery Zone'
A new pilot program in Santa Monica aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a testing ground for new technologies.

The Benefits of a Federal Climate Planning Unit
A proposed Climate Planning Unit could help the federal government guide comprehensive climate policy and manage project costs.

The Pitfalls of the 15-Minute City
The concept, touted as "hyper-local," can fail to take into account local conditions and historical inequities in American cities.

Pandemic Watch: We've Been Here Before (but at Lower Case Levels)
The White House COVID-19 Response Team explains why governors are wrong to lift mask mandates and ease restrictions by putting the current level of coronavirus infections in the country in perspective, i.e., comparing it to the two prior surges.

Upzoning Catches on in California
Eliminating single-family zoning and other exclusionary ordinances could have major impacts on housing in some of the country's most unaffordable cities.
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