Economic Downturn

Obstacles Remain in the First U.S. City to Cancel Rent
Ithaca took historic action by passing a resolution to offer rent forgiveness to support its large population of renters during the current economic crisis. The city still has work to do to deliver on that promise.

U.S. Mortgage Delinquencies Spike
The popularity of the mortgage forbearance program enabled by the CARES Act is one reason not to fear a housing crash like the Great Recession, yet.

'Metro Recovery Index' Measures the Impact of the Pandemic and the Trajectory of the Recovery
Brookings has released a new tool for measuring the impact of the coronavirus on local economies across the country, as well as the effectiveness of economic recovery efforts.

Mobility Companies All Over the PPP Recipients' List
The transportation industry has been promising high-tech innovations for years, and has attracted a lot of big time investment dollars along the way. But it looks like some of them are struggling during the pandemic anyway.

Mapping Eviction Risk
Millions of renters are at risk of eviction as federal support runs out and the economic realities of the pandemic take hold.

Construction Costs Holding Steady During Pandemic
It might have been wishful thinking to assume the pandemic would cause big declines in costs for materials and labor in the construction industry.

Chicago's Planning Director on Leadership During Crises
Maurice Cox, planning commissioner for the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, is the subject of this in-depth coverage by the Chicago Tribune.

The Eviction Crisis Is Already Here
Without rent relief from Congress, the recent wave of evictions could become a tsunami, according to housing advocates.

New Rockefeller Foundation Program Supports 'Credit Invisible' Communities in Crisis
The Rockefeller Foundation is launching a grant program intended to prevent displacement as Black and Latino communities experience the worst public health and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Federal Eviction and Foreclosure Moratorium Extended Until the End of August
Breaking news: a federal moratorium on evictions and foreclosures of single-family mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be extended until at least the end of August. The moratorium had been set to expire at the end of June.

Report: $15.5 Billion Per Month Needed for Housing Market Relief
A new report from researchers at the Urban Institute makes the case for federal and state relief for renters and property owners hurt by the economic realities of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pandemic Expected to Dampen Enthusiasm for Mixed-Use Developments
The retail component of the mixed-use development business model is expected to face a long, challenging downturn, and developers and designers are looking in other directions to make ends meet in the meantime.

Ithaca Approves Historic #CancelRent Legislation
Ithaca, New York is the first city in the nation to go through with a plan to cancel rent, giving three-quarters of the residents in the city a needed safety net as the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic crisis persists into the summer.

Can it Happen Here? Is it Happening Here?
An urban planning scholar of foreign conflict shares insights into how recent political unrest in the United States resembles and distinguishes from the ethnic and nationalistic conflict experienced in other countries in recent decades.

Renters Falling Behind, Survey Says
New survey data from Massachusetts finds massive housing market stress as more and more renters falling behind on payments.

Housing Programs on the Chopping Block in Philadelphia
The city of Philadelphia is facing a $649 million budget shortfall, and Mayor Jim Kenney is proposing to cut deeply from the city's housing budget to make up the difference.

The Housing Market During COVID-19: Supply Dips, Prices Rise
While fewer houses are being bought and sold in the first months of the pandemic, prices are on the rise as buyers find less supply available on the market.

Budget Crunch Threatens California's Climate Resilience Plans
Facing a massive budget due to the declining revenues created by the coronavirus pandemic, California will have to cut a program intended to retrofit homes and roofs as a protection against wildfire, among other climate resilience programs.

Reports Offers COVID-19 Recovery Guidance for Struggling Communities
Communities struggling with the economic, social, and health realities of the 21st century must start planning now to mitigate the worst outcomes of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report from the Center for Community Progress.

Trump to Suspend Environmental Regulation for Economic Emergency
Reports from the White House indicate that the Trump administration is planning to rollback federal environmental protections to expedite highway and other projects.
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