Residents in east Baltimore County, bewildered by the fact that their substandard, expiring-use apartment complex has passed so many inspections, organize to put their rents in escrow until improvements are made.
"A group of residents at the embattled Kingsley Park housing complex in eastern Baltimore County met yesterday to form a tenant association while officials and the corporate landlord wrestle over the future of the property." Residents, who have faced everything from a collapsing roof to roaches in baby cribs, plan to "place rent payments in escrow to demand quicker and better repairs on their World War II-era apartments....A majority of the apartments have no air conditioning or window screens and get extremely hot in summer. During the winter, residents said they turn on their ovens for warmth because of malfunctioning heating systems." By modest estimates, Landex, the corporate landlord "receives about $2.3 million annually through subsidized housing."
Thanks to Connie Chung
FULL STORY: Residents unite for better living conditions

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.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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