What are land banks and how are they supposed to work?
Land banks let local governments acquire and revitalise abandoned and vacant property – that is, if they can resist the temptation to give elected officials too…
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Jake Blumgart
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How Covid is changing the curb
Cities that made it easier to adapt the space between street and sidewalk have learned lessons that could last…
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US cities saw a historic homicide increase in 2020
Homicide rates across 34 large US cities increased by 30% last year. If that holds true nationwide, it will…
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Why Montréal is doubling down on public transport
The region's transit agencies were already planning an ambitious expansion before Covid-19. Now infrastructure and service commitments are seen…
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A US-wide eviction ban could have prevented thousands of Covid deaths
About 1.2 million infections and 164,000 deaths could have been averted in 2020 if the federal government had stopped…
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US states need federal assistance regardless of which party they vote for
Republicans are renewing claims that federal aid to states will amount to red states bailing out blue ones. Covid-era…
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A city leaders’ guide to Joe Biden’s policy agenda
From public transportation to affordable housing to infrastructure, the new US president has outlined a wide range of initiatives…
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State and local aid will be contested under a Joe Biden presidency, too
As the president-elect's stimulus plans emerge, local leaders shouldn't get too excited for direct, flexible aid to bolster their…
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The pandemic doesn’t have to be an existential threat to mass transit
In countries that have committed to supporting public transport, advocates express confidence that systems will continue to provide decent…
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