August 24, 2023

Puerto Rico’s education system—the sixth largest in the US—is uniquely vulnerable to natural disasters. After Hurricane Maria, students missed classes for an average of four months, often because of damage to their homes. Math proficiency dropped to near zero for fourth- and eighth-graders. And Hurricane Fiona wreaked further havoc last year. Now, $6 billion in federal funds is going toward bolstering the school system.

Some South King County cities are taking advantage of a loophole to a 2021 Washington law that prevents cities from barring homelessness facilities. The law permits shelters to operate in the same areas as hotels, and allows housing for people experiencing homelessness in any residential zone. But Des Moines changed its zoning rules to ban hotels in certain areas, and Federal Way added licensing requirements for shelters.

A new Smart Growth America study found highways cutting through Washington, DC, and Atlanta neighborhoods displaced thousands of residents, costing billions in home values and annual property taxes. “More suburban white commuters gained time with theoretical monetary benefit, and often Black and brown families lost generational wealth in order to accommodate that,” said Beth Osborne, vice president of transportation and thriving communities at Smart Growth America.

New InMyArea research found students would need $72,000 annually to afford rents in the United States’ most expensive college towns. Rent ranges from $250 per month in rural areas to more than $1,800 in California’s most expensive county. “Affordability and food and housing insecurities, if not addressed, have a direct impact on student success and retention rates,” said Deborah Wallace, vice president of administration and finance at California State University, Dominguez Hills.