Across the nation, suburban homeless populations are growing. Many of these communities are unprepared to shelter or serve these growing populations.
When a shelter in the Bay Area suburb of Antioch closed because of funding cuts and growing demand that it could not meet, some of its clients moved into a field in the city. "In suburbs across the U.S., poverty has been growing faster than in cities," Devin Katayama writes in KQED, and few communities were prepared for this trend.
"Antioch residents often talk about the lack of jobs and public transportation, but the absence of sufficient social services is a big problem, too," Katayama reports. Homeless people have moved into Antioch to avoid police that target them in other areas, and some have just ended up there by happenstance. These outlying communities can be particularly difficult to navigate.
FULL STORY: The Suburbs: The New Face of Bay Area Homelessness
Late Action, Local Opposition Frustrate Emergency Homeless Shelter Plans
Some progress, but not nearly enough, has been reported as California and its cities scramble to procure temporary shelters to house homeless people during the pandemic.
Amid Opposition, S.F. Homeless Navigation Center Completed
A new facility providing shelter and services to San Francisco’s homeless will open this month, even after a year of community pushback.
A 'Safe' Parking Lot for the Homeless Proposed in San Francisco
If approved, a new facility in San Francisco will allow homeless people living in RVs and vans a safe place to park. Access to support services will also be available at the site.
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.
How Atlanta Built 7,000 Housing Units in 3 Years
The city’s comprehensive, neighborhood-focused housing strategy focuses on identifying properties and land that can be repurposed for housing and encouraging development in underserved neighborhoods.
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.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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