Florida

Miami Herald: Collapsed Florida Residential Building Had Major Defects, Violated Code
The safety of Champlain Towers South was compromised to make more room for parking, according to an investigation by the Miami Herald in consultation with four engineers and a general contractor.

How 'Bicycle Friendly' is Gainesville?
Despite a recent designation from the League of American Bicyclists, one writer argues that the city's infrastructure is failing to protect pedestrians and cyclists from dangerous car traffic.

Defining the 'Community' in Community Land Trusts
As community land trusts take root and expand, they face numerous questions on how to stay communally-focused while their geographic scope grows.

Coronavirus Litigation: CDC Loses Ability to Regulate Cruise Industry in Win for Florida Governor
In a stunning reversal, a federal appeals court panel on July 23 reversed its ruling issued six days earlier in favor of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after Gov. Ron DeSantis appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court.

D.C. Adds New Safety Requirement in Wake of Recent Collapses
A series of incidents including the fatal collapse of a condo building in Surfside, Florida have prompted the District to implement safety enhancements to its building safety review.

Surfside Collapse Highlights Florida's 'Unique Vulnerabilities'
A coastal geologist urges state leaders and residents to start planning for 'managed retreat' away from the coastal communities most vulnerable to sea level rise.

Miami Funds Protected Bike Lanes With E-Scooter Fees
The city, which has some of the nation's most dangerous streets for pedestrians and cyclists, is installing 3 miles of new bike lanes and pedestrian ramps on some of its busiest downtown corridors.

Miami Residents Resist the Idea of a 20-Foot Seawall
As climate change accelerates sea level rise and flooding in South Florida, locals hope to mitigate the impacts with less dramatic interventions.

Coronavirus Litigation: Can Employers Require Employee Vaccinations?
The plaintiffs in one of the nation's first court cases over employer-required COVID vaccinations are among the heroes of the pandemic—nurses fighting to remain unvaccinated. Houston Methodist Hospital suspended unvaccinated employees on June 6.

Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants Announced for 5 U.S. Cities
A federal grant program designed to support holistic and socially-focused planning projects at the neighborhood level has announced the winners of its most recent round of competitive grant funding.

Returning to the Office: Will Vaccinations Be Required?
A survey by Kaiser Health News of 15 of America's largest companies found that none are considering vaccine mandates, but most offer employee incentives. Mandates may be more of consideration after the FDA approves the vaccines.

Two Demographic Firsts, Both Losses, for California
The nation's most populous state learned from the Census Bureau last month that it would lose a congressional district for the first time in its history. On Friday, it revealed that 2020 was the first year since 1850 to experience a population loss.

Earn Rewards for Traveling for by Foot, Bike, Bus, or Train
The city of Orlando is partnering with the Miles app.

Florida Highway Project Faces Opposition From All Sides
Critics worry the proposed 330-mile corridor would encourage sprawl, harm wildlife, and saddle the state with decades of debt.

CDC to Gov. Whitmer: Time to Shut Down, Not Surge Vaccines
Michigan is on fire—a coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly among younger people, including children, yet high-risk activities, including youth sports and indoor dining, remain open. CDC Director Walensky addressed the conflagration Monday.

Miami Mayor Wants Federal Funding for Boring Company Tunnel
Mayor Francis Suarez thinks the tunnel could alleviate congestion, but critics argue the city's rising water table makes tunneling too expensive and impractical.

Case Study: Florida Road Diet Reduces Crashes, Adds Minimal Congestion
A controversial road diet has faced disapproval from local business owners, but data shows a significant reduction in crashes and a minimal increase in congestion.

Pedestrian Activity Increased Most Outside of Cities in 2020
The locations with the largest increases of pedestrian activity during the pandemic year are all in Florida.

Lessons to Guide Future Equitable Development Planning
How did recent projects in Baton Rouge, Dallas, and South Florida fare?

Deadline for Brightline Plan Comes With Strings Attached
Officials from Brightline recently signed an agreement that dictates terms for the study of an extension of the private rail system between Orlando and Tampa.
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