Anti-discrimination policy: The Biden administration’s housing department is barring anti-LGBTQ discrimination practices in the housing market.
Good, not great: Streetsblog says House Congressional support for transit is good but not great.
It’s about lending: Sightline argues that the problem with American housing policy is that it’s not about housing, it’s about lending.
CAHSR funding refinements: California state legislators will need to make some small tweaks to the state’s high-speed rail funding to keep work in the San Joaquin Valley going.
Medicaid WA changes: Will Washington legislators expand Medicaid amid a growing roll of participants due to the pandemic?
PDX is for bikes: Portland’s city council has passed more than $5 million for the Red Electric Trail Bridge and Better Naito Forever bike projects.
Electrify the school bus: What would it take to electrify the American school bus fleet?
Fix the standards: Streetsblog tells transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg to fix the nation’s traffic control standards.
Bike lane goals: How much work does Seattle need to do in 2021 to catch up on its bike lane goals?
E-bike bill: A federal bill to help purchase e-bikes is still making its way through Congress and Streetsblog highlights how it would be beneficial.
Learn from Bhutan: Bhutan has managed to weather the pandemic relatively unscathed with only one death despite being an arguably less economically- and technologically-equipped nation.
Legalizing co-living: An Oregon bill would strike down laws preventing people from sharing or renting out rooms for long-term housing, freeing up more than 1.5 million bedrooms. Meanwhile, Denver has increased the number of unrelated people who can live in housing units from two to five.
Inclusionary zoning performance: Atlanta reports on the performance of inclusionary zoning during its first three years on the books.
Innovative bike storage: A secure bike parking revolution could be coming to New York City.
Uncertainty hangs around: The federal government won’t help with back rent until eviction moratoriums ends.
Dissolved: Portland has dissolved its original Vision Zero taskforce and is implementing a new outreach process related to the program.
Seven years of delay: A “clean fuels” bill has passed out committee in Washington’s lower house but still has a long way to go.
Should be advertised: Lithium mining is a huge hidden environmental impact of electric vehicles.
Sued for accessibility: New Orleans is being sued for the poor condition of sidewalks and lack of curb ramps in the city.
Truly regional rail: A regional rail vision for Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland is coming into view.
Code complaint: A Greenwood neighborhood to-go cidery is being shut down over a zoning complaint.
It’s possible: Austin is moving policing dollars to housing people experiencing homelessness and human services.
Undercounting emissions: Researchers find that many cities are vastly undercounting their greenhouse gas emissions ($).
Pandemic funding: A federal pandemic funding relief bill would provide $30 billion to transit agencies which should help them fully weather the storm.
Separate cars: Building more protected bike lanes make biking safer but can also reduce pedestrian traffic injuries.
Restarted conversation: Denver’s B Line regional rail line could be extended sooner to Longmont and Boulder than originally planned due to Colorado’s governor pushing the regional transit agency.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.