The civil rights debates of the 1960s and 1970s influence city planning in Alexandria, Virginia to this day.

Vernon Miles shares news of a new book that tells the history of civil rights and historic preservation Alexandria, Virginia, and how these two goals came into conflict in the development of the county's old town historic district since the 1970.
Local historic preservation consultant John Sprinkle presented excerpts from a forthcoming book to the Alexandria Board of Architectural Review, highlighting the central role of historic preservation in debates about development and displacement over the years. The narrative shared by Sprinkle is one of a dual process of desegregation and displacement: As Alexandria expanded Old Town in the 1970s, Black residents displaced by higher property taxes moved into "formerly all-white working class communities in Del Ray and Arlandria."
Violent conflicts that took place in the area had a "profound impact" on planning in Arlington, according to Sprinkle. "The historic preservation at the time started to shift toward neighborhood conservation. The city pursued grants from National Endowment for the Humanities that focused on conservation as part of an experiment designed to address forecasted displacement of African Americans in the north-western quadrant,” writes Miles.
FULL STORY: New Report Highlights History of Clashes Between Civil Rights and Historic Preservation in Alexandria

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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