Northern California is no stranger to debates about redevelopment, displacement, and the proper mix of affordable and market-rate housing—but this time the setting for these stories is in the state capital of Sacramento.
In Sacramento, writes Rachel Dovey, "inequality is characterized by two downtowns."
First "[there’s] the state capitol, a 9-to-5 employer of government officials and six-figure lobbyists marked by sleek mid-rises with tinted windows."
Then there's the second downtown, which "has one of the lowest median incomes in Sacramento according to Census Bureau numbers — $29,000 compared to $50,000 citywide. Twenty-eight percent of its residents are below the national poverty line compared to 20 percent across the city, and nearly all of them rent their homes."
Dovey cites a June 27 settlement between Sacramento’s state and city governments over the revitalization of K Street (once a casualty of the state's contentiously aborted redevelopment efforts) as an example of a new wave of development ready to brush aside the residents of Sacramento's second downtown. Dovey also samples the other projects and voices at the center of the ongoing debate over the future of Sacramento's urban core.
FULL STORY: Is the Cost of Sacramento’s Downtown Makeover Too High?
Upzoning Plan Faces Opposition in Prince George's County
A rezoning plan in Prince George's County, Maryland is receiving strong criticism from residents who worry redevelopment without tenant protections will lead to displacement.
Houston's East River Redevelopment Threatens Historic Black Neighborhoods
Longtime residents are being left behind by new development that has raised housing costs and property taxes for some of Houston's most vulnerable communities, according to an article in the Houston Chronicle.
Uneven Redevelopment on Cincinnati's Vine Street
While the southern end of the thoroughfare is seeing rapid redevelopment and gentrification, the northern end has yet to reap any benefits from the nearby projects.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing
Despite the administration’s stated concern for the “working class,” 85 percent of Manhattan commuters use public transit to enter the city.
Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi
One researcher's perspective on the potential of tiny homes and owner-built housing as one tool to fight the housing crisis.
Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing
Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.
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