Still plagued by home left vacant after Hurricane Sandy, a politician and local activists are pushing for greater action to clean up the blighted properties.
"With the rising number of blighted and mold infested abandoned properties throughout Sandy-damaged communities, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Rockaway) has announced a three-point plan to hold mortgage holders and banks accountable, keep residents safe and clean up the community eyesores that have become a serious health hazard for neighboring homeowners," reports the Yeshiva World News.
Since January of 2014, according to the article "the NYC Department of Buildings has registered nearly fifty vacant homes throughout southern Queens and Rockaway."
The three point plan pressed by Assemblymember Goldfeder includes the Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act in the New York State Assembly, the Remediation of Unsafe Flooded Homes Program with the new York City Council, and a City-Wide Online Vacant Home Registry, to be maintained by the New York Police Department.
FULL STORY: NYC: Goldfeder Tackles Runaway Banks Who Abandoned Sandy Victims

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?

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway
The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws
One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy
The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.
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