A new solution for vacant lots in blighted neighborhood works in Philadelphia.
"The massive task requires a whole new approach to urban greening, Groman said. The community "pocket" parks of the 1960s and '70s were too expensive and rarely maintained. Community gardens are nice but require too much attention.Philadelphia Green's answer is simple and cheap. It clears lots, plants grass, and stabs a few tree saplings around the perimeter. Lucky lots get split-rail fences. It has the naked, barren look of a new suburban development. But in the city, it works. Neighbors buy the lots as side yards. Developers suddenly see the site has potential."
Thanks to Kurt Paulsen
FULL STORY: A simple plan to greener, cleaner urban lots

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.
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