CityLab Daily: Home for the Holiday

  1. Andrew Small

Also: Can Amazon really rename a neighborhood? And why Denver voted to fund mental-health treatment.

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What We’re Following

Gobble gobble: Thanksgiving, as much as any holiday, is rooted in a sense of place. The paths home might stay the same, though your mode of travel may vary. Family, friends, and food may gather together for turkey year after year, but it’s often then that you realize how far flung everyone has become.

Just the act of returning home can reveal changes quickly. Last year, my childhood mall near Gettysburg showed the fallout of the so-called retail apocalypse in the strangest of ways: with a bird sanctuary replacing what once was an American Eagle outfitters. That’s a less subtle example, but parts of my town that I took for granted—the local music store, the favorite bar, the nearby coffee shop—have given way to one change or another since I moved away, and the buildings still house the memories that remind you that those places matter. Readers, we’re curious: If you’re traveling home this week, what changes do you notice around town? Drop us a line to tell us what they mean to you: hello@citylab.com.

We’ll be off for the holiday, and will return to your inbox on Monday. Until then, we wish those of you in the U.S. a happy Thanksgiving and remind you, as always, to be grateful for Gritty.

—Andrew Small

More on CityLab

Would Top Census Officials Hand Over Citizenship Status Data?

“No,” says a former chief demographer; they would resign before allowing the Trump administration to violate the confidentiality prized by Census Bureau culture.

Brentin Mock

Can Amazon Really Rename a Neighborhood?

Amazon awarded HQ2 to Northern Virginia’s “National Landing.” Locals know it as Crystal City. For neighborhood boosters, it’s a shot at a much-needed rebrand.

Linda Poon

Why Denver Voted to Fund Mental-Health Treatment

The .25 percent sales tax will offer a new pool of money to treat mental health and addiction, focusing on treatment centers and therapy over police and jails.

Jason Plautz

With New Hiring Models, Corporations (Including Amazon) Can Spur Positive Change

Everybody, including the formerly incarcerated and refugees, deserves a spot in corporate America. CEOs should develop hiring models that reflect that.

Mike Brady

Mapping the Many Tunnels Under Washington, D.C.

An interactive history of underground D.C. reveals the quirks of a city that was built by and for the federal government.

Andrew Small

What We’re Reading

Maintenance and care: fixing a broken world (Places Journal)

Your online shopping is polluting this small town (Curbed)

Unsurprisingly, Amazon employees join the Long Island City land rush (Wall Street Journal)

The classist vilification of the Black Friday shopper (Vox)

HUD tallied numerous violations in New York City public housing. It still gave passing grades. (ProPublica)

Tell your friends about the CityLab Daily! Forward this newsletter to someone who loves cities and encourage them to subscribe. Send your own comments, feedback, and tips to hello@citylab.com.

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