Whether or not the suburban shift accelerated by the pandemic continues, policymakers can implement climate resilience strategies and guide sustainable growth in both cities and exurbs.

As Joseph Kane, Mona Tong, and Jenny Schuetz write, historically, a few key factors dictate where people choose to live: “proximity to where they work, preferred amenities like school quality or climate, and connections to social networks of family and friends.”
In the last two years, “According to prevailing media narratives, the pandemic has ‘supercharged’ suburbanization rates and even hastened the death of U.S. cities.” In fact, the authors argue, “this largely continues pre-pandemic trends. Between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021, many core urban counties (those home to the largest city within a metro area) continued to experience greater population losses than their neighboring suburban counties.”
Regional leaders, the authors argue, should avoid kneejerk reactions and “take a step back and recognize the uncertainty and complexity surrounding them—including the need to better analyze and assess their region’s evolving concerns.”
Whether the reaction to the pandemic is a short-term blip or longer-term pattern, it has not reduced our collective need for greater resilience—supporting our ability to live in safe, affordable, and climate-friendly communities. That means having smaller, more affordable housing, which allows workers at all income levels to live close to jobs and amenities.
The authors conclude that “In light of these unknowns, post-pandemic planning should focus on baking in more flexibility and best practices into our land use plans to prepare us for both potential future spikes in housing demand and the general long-term trend of increasing suburban and exurban population growth.”
FULL STORY: Pandemic-fueled suburban growth doesn’t mean we should abandon climate resiliency

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.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
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San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

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In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
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