A recent report highlights the growing divide between incomes and housing costs in the Orlando area, leading many families to commute further and further to find affordable housing.
"The lack of affordable housing in Orange County is creating a population of commuters. About a quarter of the people who work in the county have to live outside its boundaries because they can't afford rents or mortgages there."
"The report cites median household incomes in the area as a hair higher than $52,000 a year, which could afford maximum rent or a monthly mortgage of about $1,000 to $1,200.
But 2007 median home prices at $250,000 would require a monthly payment of about $2,000 to afford a home."
"To alleviate the problem, the task force recommends: creating a workforce-housing czar; giving developers incentives to build more affordable houses, condos and apartments; and charging commercial developers a fee if they bring in new workers who would need housing."
FULL STORY: Orange task force warns of growing housing crisis

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.

Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing
The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.

Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks
Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.

Forest Service Rescinds Tree Planting Grants
The $75 million program fell victim to the federal government’s purge of ‘DEI’-related projects.
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.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research