Philip Rojc is a Contributing Editor at Planetizen. He writes about cities, philanthropy, and socioeconomic equity.
Big Money Floods Venice Beach
Is a gentrified Venice Beach still Venice Beach? With median home prices topping $1.4 million, the area's eclectic characters can't afford to stay. Investors and the tech industry say the change is only natural.
San Francisco to Vote on Affordable Housing Bond
A ballot decision in November will determine whether San Francisco can sell $310 million in bonds to pay for affordable housing. The proposal coincides with Mayor Ed Lee's campaign for re-election.
Roosevelt Island's Pneumatic Garbage System
On New York City's Roosevelt Island, residents have long lived free from the roar of garbage trucks. Instead they use Avacs, an island-wide system of pneumatic tubes that moves trash to a central location for processing.
Why the McMansion Isn't Really Back
Joe Cortright criticizes reports linking high median new home sizes to a renewed demand for McMansions. The market for single-family homes, he argues, locks out buyers of modest means. Only the well-off are buying.
The EPA's Lackluster Environmental Justice Record
The Center for Public Integrity has released a report criticizing the EPA's environmental justice competence. In only 12 cases has the agency taken official action on behalf of communities affected disproportionately by polluters.