Population and Economic Shifts in the Wake of the Maui Wildfires Clement Lau Thu, 02/06/2025 - 11:00 Primary Image The 2023 Maui wildfires have led to significant population shifts, with at least 1,000 residents leaving the island due to displacement, financial instability, and uncertainty about rebuilding. As reported by Dylan Moore and Baybars Karacaovali, State income tax filings provide early insights into these migration patterns, revealing that 430 to 510 residents have moved out of state, while others have relocated to different parts of Hawaii. Additionally, reduced in-migration ha ..read more

More Than a Game: How Sports Can Uplift Communities After Disaster Clement Lau Thu, 02/06/2025 - 10:00 Primary Image Primary Image Caption The Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team joined with other local sports teams to offer support to victims of the January wildfires. The devastating wildfires in Southern California have directly impacted thousands of people, including over 11,000 LA Galaxy fans, among them Steve Burns and his family, who lost their home in the Eaton Fire. Just weeks before the disaster, Burns and his son celebrated the Galaxy’s MLS Cup victory, unaware that their lives woul ..read more

Tesla Robotaxis Encounter New Challenges in China Diana Ionescu Thu, 02/06/2025 - 09:00 Primary Image Primary Image Caption A Tesla sedan in Hong Kong. After their deployment in China, Tesla robotaxis faced an unexpected obstacle: bus lanes. As Christiaan Hetzner explains in an article in Fortune, Tesla CEO Elon Musk explained the problem in an investor call: “There’s literally hours of the day you’re allowed to be there or not be there, and if you accidentally go into that bus lane at the wrong time, you get an automatic ticket instantly.” Apparently bus lanes are “kind of a big deal” i ..read more

National Monuments Under Threat From Mining Under New Executive Order Diana Ionescu Thu, 02/06/2025 - 08:00 Primary Image Primary Image Caption Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. The Department of the Interior appears poised to open federal public lands, including national monuments, to more mining, per an executive order signed by newly appointed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. As Bobby Magill reports in Bloomberg Law, the order directs staff to “review and, as appropriate, revise all withdrawn public lands, consistent with existing law.” The order calls for a plan that will include ..read more

Single-Stair Reform Gains Strength Diana Ionescu Thu, 02/06/2025 - 07:00 Primary Image According to Julian Frost, writing in Greater Greater Washington, “The movement for single-stair reform may be reaching a critical mass of momentum and support in the US.” Frost assesses the bills proposed in the D.C. region and how they might advance in 2025. In Frost’s view, “Single-stair reform would make small-lot infill development more feasible, and allow for generous, flexible, and well-ventilated apartment layouts.” However, many global cities safely use single-stair buildings, which save space a ..read more

Boston Bus Signal Priority Project Yields Faster Travel Times Diana Ionescu Thu, 02/06/2025 - 06:00 Primary Image A bus priority pilot project in Boston resulted in a 21 percent drop in delays and 8 percent faster travel times, prompting the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to announce its expansion, reports Christopher Carey in Cities Today. The project added signal priority for buses to a segment of Brighton Avenue that had a new bus lane installed in 2019. “The MBTA reports that up to 50 percent of transit delays consist of waiting at red lights in signalised intersecti ..read more

Condos, a Key Source of Affordable Housing for Homeowners, Are in Jeopardy LM_Ortiz Wed, 02/05/2025 - 11:00 Primary Image As aging infrastructure and soaring maintenance costs threaten the nation's condominium stock, a new Shelterforce investigation examines how this crucial affordable housing option is at risk. The analysis reveals that condo ownership — which provides a vital pathway to homeownership for first-time buyers, communities of color, and seniors — faces mounting challenges: Monthly fees have increased 60 percent in some markets 37 percent of condo owners are now housing cost ..read more

A New Cultural Landmark: Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Set to Open in 2026 Clement Lau Wed, 02/05/2025 - 10:00 Primary Image Primary Image Caption The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art under construction in Los Angeles, California. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, designed by MAD Architects, is under construction in Los Angeles’s Exposition Park, transforming a former asphalt parking lot into an 11-acre campus. As reported by Yagmur Baydir, the nearly 300,000-square-foot, five-story museum will feature 100,000 square feet of gallery space, two state-of-the-art theaters, educational and eng ..read more

Lawmakers Call for Improved Air Quality Monitoring in LA Following Fires Diana Ionescu Wed, 02/05/2025 - 09:00 Primary Image A group of lawmakers are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to monitor air quality in Los Angeles as the city recovers from recent wildfires. According to an article by Ben Poston for the Los Angeles Times, “While the Eaton, Palisades and other fires spewed dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere, air quality readings in the region didn’t fully capture all the wildfire pollutants, air quality officials cautioned.” Poston adds that some toxic substan ..read more

Building a Just Transition from the Ground Up Clement Lau Wed, 02/05/2025 - 08:00 Primary Image Addressing climate change and environmental challenges requires solutions that are locally grounded and tailored to meet the needs of workers, families, and communities. The Laudes Foundation, along with the Wallace Global Fund and Ford Foundation, studied 632 local initiatives and found that a one-size-fits-all approach does not work — effective transitions must be shaped by local contexts. Key to this effort is fostering inclusion, agency, and accountability, ensuring that marginalized communi ..read more