Local residents are calling for the redevelopment of a mostly abandoned 55-acre psychiatric hospital complex into affordable housing.

A defunct psychiatric hospital in Queens could provide 3,000 new affordable housing units, according to a coalition of local residents who are calling on New York to convert the state-owned Creedmoor Psychiatric Center property into a housing complex, write David Brand and Neil Mehta in Gothamist.
Queens Power Co-Chair Ben Thomases, who leads the nonprofit Queens Community House, said the state-owned land provides the perfect opportunity to build around 3,000 new income-restricted apartments, along with homes available to purchase, during a deepening housing crisis.
The complex could provide much-needed housing in the area. “The site is located in Queens Community District 13, where nearly half of low-income tenants spent at least 50% of their earnings on rent last year, an arrangement that leaves them “severely rent-burdened“ under federal guidelines, data from the Furman Center shows.”
The quasi-governmental Empire State Development agency says it is “continuing to seek input from local residents and community groups” to decide the site’s future. According to the article, “State officials will hold two public forums on the project next month as part of a planning process on what to do with the 55 acres south of the main hospital.”
FULL STORY: Queens residents demand affordable housing on site of old psych hospital

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.

San Jose Mayor Takes Dual Approach to Unsheltered Homeless Population
In a commentary published in The Mercury News, Mayor Matt Mahan describes a shelter and law enforcement approach to ending targeted homeless encampments within Northern California's largest city.

Atlanta Changes Beltline Rail Plan
City officials say they are committed to building rail connections, but are nixing a prior plan to extend the streetcar network.

Are Black Mayors Being Pushed Out of Office?
The mayors of New York, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh all stand to lose their seats in the coming weeks. They also all happen to be Black.
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.
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Edmonds
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research