A diverse collection of people sleep in McDonald's restaurants in Hong Kong, either because they live too far from their work or because they are more comfortable in the air-conditioned restaurants than at home.
Some in Hong Kong would rather sleep in McDonald's restaurants than in substandard housing or among family they do not get along with. Five years ago, Junior Chamber International’s Tai Ping Shan branch conducted a similar study and has found the number of people sleeping in McDonald's had tripled. "A branch in Tsuen Wan hosted more than 30 sleepers, the highest among all branches, according to the latest study," Shirley Zhao reports for South China Morning Post.
Because of housing prices, many in the city do not have the living situation they want, either because they live farther from their work than they like or because the conditions in their homes are uncomfortable. Hong Kong's public housing waiting list includes more than a quarter million people.
"Researchers were able to interview 53 McRefugees aged between 19 and 79 in depth, and found 57 per cent of them had a job and 71 per cent of them had flats that they rented or owned, contrary to the common belief that these people tended to be jobless and homeless," Zhao reports.
Home Prices, Demand on Downward Trajectory
The once-overheated housing market continues to cool as rising interest rates reduce demand.
Austin Metro Home Sales Slow Dramatically
After a whirlwind of rising costs and sharply spiking demand for housing in smaller cities, the housing market is cooling down to pre-pandemic levels.
U.S. Housing Prices Continue Record-Breaking Pace
July marked four straight months of record-breaking increases for housing prices nationwide, according to the latest housing market data.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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