How Rule Changes About Public Benefits Could Affect Immigrants
The Trump administration announced changes to the “public charge” rule that will prevent immigrants who access government services from staying in the U.S.
A Depression-Era Mural, Caught in a Very Contemporary Controversy
At a public viewing of a 1930s mural depicting the life and legacy of George Washington, San Franciscans argued about preservation, racism, and erasure.
For Democratic Candidates, Infrastructure Isn't Just Highways
When she takes the debate stage tonight, Kirsten Gillibrand is likely to tout a new infrastructure bill. Other presidential hopefuls are talking up their own rebuilding priorities.
What the Fear Campaign Against Immigrants Is Doing
Even “secure” households say they’re afraid of interacting with immigration enforcement, limiting their mobility and use of public space.
Coming Soon to Save (or Imperil) Democracy: Online Voting
Some voters in Provo and other Utah County cities will be able to cast ballots on a blockchain-powered mobile app in a pilot program for the August election.
A Clue to the Reason for Women’s Pervasive Car-Safety Problem
Crash-test dummies are typically models of an average man. Women are 73 percent more likely to be injured in a car accident. These things are probably connected.
Has the Time Come for City-Run Public Banks?
A coalition of activists in 10 California cities is pushing for public banks as a bill to support this voter-run option works its way through the state legislature.
Are These the Last Vape Shops in San Francisco?
The city wants to stop the rise of teen vaping by banning the sale of Juul and other e-cigarettes. It could also mean the end of a particular kind of store.
Why Electric Scooters Companies Are Getting Serious About Safety
Lime has joined rival Bird in establishing a safety advisory board tasked with helping the e-scooter industry shape local regulations—and shake its risky reputation.
How a California Bill Could Affect Gig Work, Uber, Lyft, and Drivers
Supporters and foes of California’s AB5 marched on the capitol this week over the bill that could transform the business model for Uber, Lyft, and drivers.
The Airbnb for America's Extra Crap Is Here
A startup called Neighbor bills itself as an “Airbnb for storage,” allowing hosts to rent out their empty sheds, closets and basements for other people’s stuff.
Can ‘Pods’ Bring Quiet to the Noisy Open Office?
Now that office walls have come down, workers are ducking into closet-sized “pods” for privacy and quiet. Is this a retreat from the open office or the next phase of it?
Do Police Have a Place at Pride Parades?
Stonewall’s anniversary has cops and LGBTQ activists revisiting their fraught history—and debating if police belong at celebrations of gay and trans rights.
Pollinator Cities Really Could Save the Monarchs
The milkweed needed to stabilize the country’s monarch-butterfly population thrives in metropolitan areas—especially on residential land.
Don’t Call Trump’s Housing Order a YIMBY Plan
The president just signed an executive order calling for states and cities to pursue zoning reform. But affordable housing advocates aren’t celebrating.
Minimum Wage Still Can’t Pay for a Two-Bedroom Apartment Anywhere
The 30th anniversary edition of the National Low Income Housing Coalition report, “Out of Reach,” shows that housing affordability is getting worse, not better.
In 1990s Oakland, Youth Voices Started A Movement
We Are Here, an exhibit at two museums in the Bay Area, documents candid 1990s’ conversations among Oakland youth and cops, and the activist work they ignited.
The 10 Cities Getting a Philanthropic Boost for Economic Mobility
An initiative funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Ballmer Group focuses on building “pipelines of opportunity.”