December 07, 2023

A recent federal report focuses on how climate change is affecting communities. The report highlights persistent disparities in risk, with Black communities already experiencing more frequent and intense floods, extreme heat, air pollution, and water infrastructure issues. Black communities are projected to experience double the flooding events. The report underscores challenges in air quality, water issues, extreme heat, unreliable electricity, and cultural loss, and it explicitly links racism to climate change impacts.

New York City schools anticipate a major student reshuffling as migrant families, subject to new shelter stay limits, will be required to exit shelter stay and reapply for housing, which will likely lead to massive relocations as early as next month. City officials aim to minimize disruptions, but educators warn of severe educational consequences and logistical challenges, including tracking families, arranging transportation, and dealing with potential long commutes or school transfers. “It’s going to be like musical shelters,” the principal said. “All these kids who we’ve spent the last 10 months building relationships with… we’re going to break that bond.”

Amid rising home prices and mortgage rates, Twin Cities homebuyers are turning to townhouses for more affordable housing in new units. In October, townhouse sales increased by 6.5 percent, contrasting with an 8 percent decline in single-family sales. The shift is attributed to affordability challenges arising from higher land, labor, and borrowing costs, as well as buyer preferences for smaller units that are newer and have fewer maintenance costs.

A report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies warns that a record number of seniors in the US face high housing costs, with nearly a third of senior-headed households considered cost burdened, or paying more than 30 percent of income for housing. With a growing number of seniors losing housing and limited federal subsidies available, experts emphasize the need for more affordable housing options and supportive policies to help seniors age in place.