The city council of Vancouver is supporting the creation of 550 temporary homes, including some prefab, to house the area's homeless.
"The modular housing component was based on proposals from architect Gregory Henriquez and real estate consultant Michael Geller, who suggested the idea during Geller's unsuccessful council bid in last fall's municipal election.
The province asked Geller to study the feasibility of the modular concept and he concluded that the idea was a practical one. Geller said capital costs would vary between $37,000 and $46,000 per unit, compared to $302,000 for permanent units already announced by the province.
'One of the true benefits of this approach is that we can have people housed in a matter of months rather than a matter of years,' said Geller.
'While some may be concerned that this housing will not be attractive, I think the plans produced to date clearly demonstrate that a great concern may be that it's too attractive and hence will become permanent.'"
FULL STORY: City council backs plan for prefab housing

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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