YIMBY News for 2/17

[Eric Budd]

‘Turning the Titanic’ in a Rust Belt City

Governing

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KEYWORD SCORE: 27.25. development, downtown, growth, house, project, rent, urban, walk

It was dark when I drove into Gary, Ind., one afternoon last November and parked next to the city’s tallest building, a 10-story office tower about a block from City Hall. I had an appointment with Chuck Hughes, the CEO of the Gary Chamber of Commerce. He warned me that the front door might be locked, and that if it was I should call him so he could have the security guard buzz me in. But the door wasn’t locked. In fact, it was propped open. I walked past the guard and called Hughes while I was wandering around the stairwell looking for his office. When he picked up, I heard his voice once thr

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Op-Ed: Pierce County Must Run a Transit Ballot Measure in 2026

The Urbanist

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KEYWORD SCORE: 22.19. bus rapid transit, bus stop, downtown, mobility, transportation, urban, walk

Pierce Transit needs more resources to meet rider needs and avoid looming service cuts. Transit in Pierce County is at a crossroads. Everyone in Pierce County deserves to be able to take transit to get quickly and reliably where they need to go. But Pierce Transit’s service does not meet the needs of those who live or work in Tacoma, Fircrest, Lakewood, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, Parkland or Spanaway. Only two buses run every 15 minutes most of the day. The rest of the routes run infrequently and stop running early in the evening. And too many bus stops lack shelter or adequate lighting. The lives

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New Mexico is making child care free for all working parents. Why isn’t Colorado?

Colorado Sun

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KEYWORD SCORE: 21.81. affordable, house, housing, income, project, rent, supply

[image: A woman holding a small child stands outside on a sunny day. Both are smiling, and the wind is blowing their hair. A car and buildings are visible in the background.] *A Colorado Sun series* [image: Silhouette of a child sitting next to text reading "Out of reach" and "Colorado’s crumbling child care system."] This series aims to unpack why child care costs have become so high for both families and providers and will also explore what it will take to make child care affordable and widely available across the state. *Read more* Emily Murphy cried when she got the message from New Mexico

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Mosquito Fleet Act Seeks to Throw Ferry-Oriented Communities a Lifeline

The Urbanist

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KEYWORD SCORE: 18.19. downtown, house, mobility, parking, public hearing, rent, supply, transportation, urban

Washington State Ferries is at a precarious spot. While the nation’s largest ferry system has made recent gains toward stabilizing service levels in recent years, the number of active boats in the fleet means disruptions could start cascading at any time. The average age of a WSF boat has grown to 35 years, and many of the boats are more than 50 years old. The issues with aging vessels aren’t expected to improve anytime soon, even as the agency starts to receive its next new vessels, expected by 2030. That’s why Representative Greg Nance (D-23rd, Bainbridge Island) introduced House Bill 1923 —

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