In some cities, maintenance of sidewalks is not the responsibility of the city but of adjacent landowners. Philadelphia is finding what a hassle this arrangement can be. With countless blocks in disrepair, everyone is passing the buck.

Back in 1891, the city of Philadelphia adopted an ordinance assigning responsibility for sidewalk maintenance to adjacent landlords. This seemed like a good idea at a time when everyone walked and before laws like the Americans With Disabilities Act required that sidewalks always provide safe passage.
Today, many Philly sidewalks are impassible not just to citizens in wheelchairs, but also to just about anyone short of a mountain goat. And the city is finding, not surprisingly, that landlords and neighborhood associations aren't eager to pay up. The city has tried to fine landlords, but the fines are often paltry compared to the cost of compliance.
Neighborhood groups are searching for creative solutions. One of them suggests a list of "Top-10 Offenders" in case a public display might spur landlords to action.
"[P]articularly outside of Center City, where busted, tree-root shimmed and all-but-obliterated sidewalks are distressingly common. Philadelphia’s walkability is one of its chief strengths—but not on those stretches where sidewalks are in gross disrepair."
FULL STORY: Lots of Philadelphia Sidewalks Are in Horrible Shape — How to Fix Them?

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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