Remote workers are flocking to small, amenity-rich towns in the West, changing their social and economic landscape.
The sudden growth in telecommuting brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the commercial real estate industry as companies rethink their need for physical office space and workers embrace the benefits of the new work-from-home lifestyle. The change is also having impacts on small towns that are simultaneously losing some major employers while gaining a new influx of newly 'free' workers untethered from offices in big cities.
As the need to stay close to the work opportunities and amenities of major urban centers dissipates, more Americans are seeking out small, amenity-rich towns that offer high quality of life at low cost. These so-called "Zoom towns" offer lower taxes and relatively affordable real estate for former urban dwellers, but the double-edged "Zoom boom" is also driving up housing costs and threatening to drive out older residents in places with limited housing stock. At the same time, commercial landlords and city officials struggle to find uses for formerly occupied office buildings. One possible solution, writes Jonathan Thompson for High Country News, is converting unused offices into affordable housing to alleviate the crunch facing many of the most desirable rural communities now seeing an explosive growth in demand.
FULL STORY: How the Zoom boom is changing the West
Orlando Now Less Affordable than San Francisco
An analysis of housing affordability shows rising costs in America's smaller cities.
New Data: Rural Remote Workers Concentrate in Recreation Hubs
Remote workers flock to ski towns, hiking spots and other popular recreation hubs.
Commentary: How Remote Work Supports Rural Communities
Allowing federal employees to work from home can deepen government agencies’ understanding of communities’ needs and create economic opportunities for local residents.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service