We are using the upcoming US election to put a spotlight on American cities and the challenges they face. We discuss housing struggles, how to get around, the changing world of work, the resulting state of downtown cores and how apps are altering our urban fabric. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hello and welcome to the Urbanist Monocles program all about the built environment.
I'm your host, Andrew Tuck.
Coming up, the idea of the American dream, that anyone can make it big, that anyone can have a big home on a big piece of land, that that is the marker of having made it.
Two cars in the driveway, that's something where we have to look at who has access to that.
In this week's episode, we're using the upcoming US Election to put a spotlight on American cities and the challenges that they face.
We'll discuss housing struggles, how to get around the changing world of work and the resulting state of downtown cause, and how apps are altering our urban fabric.
No matter which candidate voters select on November 5, they will hope their choice is able to address some of these prevailing issues and bring about meaningful change for urban areas.
That's all coming up over the next 30 minutes here on the Urbanist with me, Andrew Tuck.
Welcome to today's program.
I'm joined for this special US Focused rundown with a long friend of the show and our proud Boston born correspondent, Jessica Bridger.
Jessica, thanks so much for joining us today.
Now, we aren't here to talk about specific candidates or what they may or may not do for cities.
What we want to focus on instead are the issues and get a state of the nation when it comes to urban affairs.
So, Jessica, should we start with one of the biggest issues?
Tell us about housing and how that fits in with the idea of the American dream.
Where does the country stand on the issue of putting roofs over people's heads?
Today the housing crisis is an issue of affordability.
And what we're seeing with the rising homelessness and the rising visibility of it is the lowest common denominator for that condition.
So the visibility then of people who are completely unhoused is a direct result of affordability issues that affect pretty much everyone in the United States because it's affecting both renters and own owners and those who are not able to do either.
Mortgage rates are extremely high, even with the recent Fed rate cut, and prices are even higher and keep increasing.