Homeless people may avoid seeking help or services because there is a lack of space secure their belongings in shelters. The death of a homeless woman in Vancouver last winter highlights the severity of the problem.
"When British Columbia Housing Minister Rich Coleman last week introduced the Assistance to Shelter Act, he said the legislation would 'help to prevent tragedies such as the one that occurred last winter when a woman died trying to keep warm in a makeshift shelter.'"
"Of about 25 homeless shelters in Vancouver, only three – the remaining facilities from a group of five HEAT (Homeless Emergency Action Team) sites set up late last year – officially accommodate carts.
For critics of the legislation, the cart issue highlights concerns that the law, while well-intentioned, may result in some homeless people avoiding police and outreach workers out of fear they could lose their belongings."
FULL STORY: Vancouver homeless need their belongings accounted for, critics say
Utah to Build New, 1,200-Bed Shelter Campus
The state’s attempt to decentralize emergency homeless shelters yielded poor results, leading to a decision to develop a “transformative” intake campus with wraparound services.
Phoenix Takes a New Approach on Homelessness
Phoenix is centering housing—affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, and eviction protections—in a new planning framework designed to reduce the number of homeless people living on the streets of the city.
Vacancy Taxes as a Response to the Housing Crisis
Could vacancy taxes solve multiple housing challenges at once?
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?
Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
Congestion Pricing Drops Holland Tunnel Delays by 65 Percent
New York City’s contentious tolling program has yielded improved traffic and roughly $100 million in revenue for the MTA.
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.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service