A few things to know this week: November 20, 2020
Happy Friday, friends! Every week we collect some of the best things that members of our Verdunity team read, watched, or listened to over the course of the week—plus anything new from us.
This week’s things to know:
Another Region Offers Remote Workers $10,000—and a Bike!—to Move (Route Fifty)
A few years ago, Tulsa launched a pilot program where they offered $10,000 to individuals to get them to move to Tulsa. That program exceeded expectations. Now with remote work on the rise and more people considering moving, we're seeing new spins on this approach. -Kevin
Vast migration of over 14 million Americans coming due to remote work (CNBC)
As the pandemic has greatly increased the occurrence of working remotely, the migration of 14 million+ Americans to new locations is expected. This article cites 57% as the figure of small and medium businesses that plan to offer remote work for the long term. The big question: with this flexibility, what larger effects might exist for the efficiency of the workplace in this type of arrangement, and what larger effects might exist for housing choice? There is already a measurable impact on rent prices in the top 10 most expensive housing markets, where rents are starting to decrease slightly. How might this impact social mobility, school choice, and the frequently covered "walkability tax"? -AJ
The Streak: 20 years, 70K deaths and unfulfilled plans for zero road fatalities in Texas (Houston Chronicle)
I applaud every city and state who embraces the #VisionZero initiative to eliminate deaths on our roadways. However, just making statements about it is not enough. We have to change policies and invest in infrastructure modifications. Some cities and states have stepped up to make bold changes like New York and Seattle, and they are seeing results. But in many others, like here in Texas, it's still just lip service. It's time for every transportation agency, city, and community to step up and take #VisionZero seriously. -Kevin
Can the Wall Street Foreclosure Vultures Be Stopped This Time? (Curbed)
How can affordable housing continue to stay in the hands of people who intend to keep it affordable and avoid the capitalization of crisis that occurred in 2008? This Curbed piece examines this in the context of Biden's housing plan after reviewing what went wrong a decade ago. It's a quick read, but a big question to ponder. -AJ
COVID-19 and Working From Home Give Cities a Chance to Redefine Who Uses Downtowns (Rock Institute)
In this piece, Liz Farmer writes about the impact COVID-19 is having on retail revenues, how cities and downtowns have adapted, and the opportunity cities have to re-imagine downtowns, public spaces, and neighborhoods going forward. IF you want to hear more from Liz, she'll be joining me on an upcoming episode of our Go Cultivate podcast to discuss this piece and more. -Kevin
After COVID, a Bright Future for American Cities (The American Conservative)
This is a great article from my friend Kevin Klinkenberg. He shares his thoughts on how the events of this year will ultimately play out to be a positive for cities, how the large metros like NYC will need to evolve to serve a new mix of residents, and how small and mid-size communities have an unprecedented opportunity to become their own cultural and economic centers. -Kevin
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