Homelessness

Tiny Home

Tiny Home Villages: Who Will Host Them?

Imagine if hosting a transitional tiny home village for the homeless became the norm for all suitable vacant land?

November 21, 2017 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

New York Apartments

New York Still Not Tracking Vacancies

Despite de Blasio's campaign promises, the city of New York still doesn't count vacant properties, a negligence that advocates for the homeless have been fighting for years.

November 18, 2017 - Next City

San Francisco Homeless

San Francisco Sets Five-Year Plan to Drastically Reduce Homelessness

A new plan in San Francisco aims to reduce the city's chronically homeless population 50 percent by December 2022. Other goals include ending family homelessness and eliminating large, long-term tent encampments.

October 9, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Street Median

Omaha to Outlaw Standing on Medians

In an effort to curb panhandling, the mayor of Omaha introduces ordinance to make it illegal to be on some thin medians.

September 29, 2017 - Omaha World Herald

Homeless Man

A New 'Transit Homeless Action Plan' for Los Angeles

Transit can be a vital resource for the homeless. In Los Angeles, where that population is growing, this is doubly true.

September 29, 2017 - Curbed Los Angeles

Homeless Encampment

Organization Sets Up Tents to Shelter Homeless in Detroit

A civil rights organization has taken direct action to provide support for homeless people living in Detroit.

September 21, 2017 - Associated Press via Detroit Free Press

Downtown Reno

Homeless People Could Pay the Price of Reno's 'Revitalization'

Reno is considering a law that critics say is a textbook example of the criminalization of homelessness and everyday life.

September 13, 2017 - Next City

Homeless Encampment

Spokane Rolls Out New Homeless Camping Deterrent

The city of Spokane is piling large boulders where homeless people used to sleep. Critics are calling the city's actions inhumane.

September 8, 2017 - KUOW

L.A. County Pilot Project Will Pay Homeowners to Add Granny Flats

A new pilot project doesn't have the funding to upend the housing market in one of the most expensive markets in the country, but it does set a precedent of support for new housing models.

August 18, 2017 - Curbed Los Angeles

Homeless Bans

California Cities Continue to Criminalize Homelessness with RV Bans

Coastal cities are taking a no-tolerance approach to RVs on their streets, even as they otherwise strive to mitigate and prevent homelessness.

August 7, 2017 - Pacific Standard

Anti homeless bench

Booming Downtowns Are Squeezing Out Homeless Shelters

In downtowns across America, booming development has come at the expense of crucial homeless services that have traditionally located there.

July 17, 2017 - CityLab

Homeless

Tacoma Relocates Homeless Residents to City-Owned Encampment

Tacoma, Washington is attempting to approach homeless encampments from a public health perspective.

July 8, 2017 - knkx

Homeless Encampment

L.A. Now Has Real Money for Homelessness but No Real Plan

L.A. has a new bond issue and a new sales tax for homelessness. But Mayor Eric Garcetti and the City Council actions to alleviate homelessness have been tepid and slow. Affordable housing developer and Michael Russell has some suggestions.

July 7, 2017 - UrbDeZine

Mt. Adams, Washington

Hidden Crisis: Homelessness on the Reservation

Poverty and evictions among Native Americans are an underreported part of the national homelessness crisis. Often, homeless families stay as long as they can in the dwellings of family and friends.

July 5, 2017 - The Guardian

Tent City Bay Area

Homelessness a Growing Issue in San Francisco Suburbs

Across the nation, suburban homeless populations are growing. Many of these communities are unprepared to shelter or serve these growing populations.

July 3, 2017 - KQED

Homeless Bike

New Projects to House Homeless in San Jose

The Bay Area is home to a large homeless population, and San Jose is doing more to create resources for the homeless than other cities in the area.

June 22, 2017 - The Mercury News

Nightime view of San Diego skyline

San Diego Activists Form Coalition to Respond to Homelessness, Housing Crisis

A diverse coalition of social justice, labor, and environmental groups have come together under the name Build Better San Diego to troubleshoot and advocate for affordable housing, writes affordable housing developer and advocate Murtaza Baxamusa.

June 8, 2017 - UrbDeZine

Skid Row

Homeless Numbers Continue to Rise in and Around Los Angeles

Rents continue to rise in Los Angeles and more people are living in their cars.

June 3, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Kirkland, Washington

Amazon to House Homeless in Seattle Headquarters

Headquarters campus of Amazon will include housing for homeless who would have been displaced by the company’s purchase of the hotel that included their shelter.

May 17, 2017 - Next City

Chicago

Eviction Hot Spot: Chicago's South Shore

Rising rents and low income residents have made this South Side neighborhood a locus for evictions and forced moves.

April 30, 2017 - Chicago Reader

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.

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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

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The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.