2020
"Bold 2021 Predictions: A Stronger Housing Market Across the Board"
Demand for city living will surge in 2021
Dense, urban living got a bad rap this year because of the pandemic, but city living will almost certainly enjoy a renaissance in 2021.
...More"Modular Construction Meets Changing Needs in the Pandemic"
The process of creating prefabricated units that can be quickly assembled has shifted as developers turn to medical buildings, affordable housing, data centers and even a Chick-fil-A restaurant.
...More"$130,000 for an 8-foot-by-8-foot shed? That’s what L.A. is paying in a bid to house the homeless"
In other cities, 64-square-foot aluminum and composite sheds are being used as quick and inexpensive emergency shelter for homeless people.
Not in Los Angeles. Here, plans to employ the minimalist structures, known as “tiny homes,” have blossomed into expensive development projects with access roads, underground utilities and concrete foundations — and commensurate planning delays.
...More"UCLA Anderson Forecast Predicts Robust Economic Recovery Spring 2021"
The latest UCLA Anderson Forecast anticipates positive economic news is on the horizon, a rosy prediction that’s based on the assumption that mass vaccinations would clear a path toward a new, productive normalcy for many industries.
…But the December forecast also offers hope of a robust recovery from the current recession.
...More"San Francisco, trade unions at odds over modular construction — even for homeless projects"
The 143-unit modular supportive housing project under construction on Bryant Street in San Francisco has drawn praise for the speed at which it is being built and its low construction cost.
...More"The productivity pitfalls of working from home in the age of COVID-19"
From March 2020
The global work-from-home movement intended to maintain output and efficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic could actually generate a worldwide productivity slump and threaten economic growth for many years, says Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom.
...More"The End of the Pandemic Is Now in Sight"
A year of scientific uncertainty is over. Two vaccines look like they will work, and more should follow.
...More"The Week Observed, November 6, 2020"
…”Housing market data for New York and San Francisco show that shocks do have observable short-run effects, driving up vacancy rates and holding down prices. But vacancies and prices tend to quickly revert to pre-shock trends and levels.”
...More"More than 750 homes move forward at West Oakland BART station"
The Oakland Planning Commission unanimously approved a massive housing project at West Oakland BART station this week, part of the transit agency’s push for more affordable housing near public transportation.
...More"West Oakland megaproject on BART land moves forward"
BART ridership may be down, but transit-oriented developments along the agency’s East Bay corridor are far from idle.
The Oakland Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved the final development plans for two phases of Mandela Station, a project at the West Oakland BART station from China Harbour Engineering Co.
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