Posts tagged Health
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Making streets safer for people could also slow the spread of the coronavirus
In an ideal world, every individual would have the ability to stay home to protect themselves and their families from exposure to coronavirus. But this isn’t the case. There’s an even greater imperative for lots of space for people to walk, bike, and, if necessary, take transit, given the challenges posed by COVID-19. Keep reading…
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National links: Density is still good for us
Density was vital to us before the coronavirus, and it will be again. Is it time to take space away from cars? The coronavirus’s lasting effects on cities, and more in this week’s National links. Keep reading…
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We need more public restrooms in DC. But how do we make them usable for all?
DC is inching towards increasing its number of public restrooms with the passage of a 2018 law that would add two new facilities and incentivize business owners to open their bathrooms to the public. However, many public restroom designs aren’t accessible to many of their potential users. Keep reading…
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Hopewell, VA’s complete streets overhaul shows small towns can be urbanist too
The successes and setbacks of creating safer streetscapes in big cities dominate our imagination, but many corners of small town America are quietly undergoing a complete streets transformation as well. The compact street grids of smaller cities like Hopewell, Virginia that developed before the advent of the automobile represent low-hanging fruit in the fight for safer, healthier, and more sustainable communities. Keep reading…
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Thanks to DC’s new toilet law, it’s going to be easier to find a place to go
It’s really difficult to find a public bathroom in DC, and advocates say installing more of them would help pregnant people, tourists, the elderly, people experiencing homelessness, and many others. After years of encouragment from activists, the DC Council passed a public bathroom bill in April 2019. So when will we see these new restrooms? Keep reading…
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Some DC tenants need to sue to get redress for mold. A new bill could change that.
If there’s mold in your rental home in DC, you may not get help without a fight. While landlords are supposed to get rid of mold when it’s spotted, some tenants have to take them to housing conditions court in order to get an inspection and treatment. Currently, city inspectors aren’t trained to spot mold and can’t fine landlords when they neglect to address it. Keep reading…
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Activists fight food access and health disparities in DC with #Don’tMuteMyHealth
Healthy food is more accessible in whiter and wealthier parts of the District, and low-income communities of color are often targeted with ads for unhealthy food. Residents in affected communities have been working to address these disparities, and they’re continuing the fight for food justice with a campaign called #DontMuteMyHealth. Keep reading…
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Small-scale clinics bridge the gap in health care east of the Anacostia
Painted in bold shades of blue, red, green and pink, Whitman-Walker Health’s Max Robinson Center has stood prominently in the historic Anacostia neighborhood, just a few blocks from the Big Chair, since the early 1990s. It was opened to fill a gap in HIV services in Southeast DC, after having already provided such treatments in Northwest, according to Medical Director Colleen Lane. Keep reading…
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The summer heat can be deadly for unsheltered people. Here’s how you can help.
Washington, DC is one of the most intense summer “heat islands” of any US city. Temperatures during the summer can soar 21 degrees higher than surrounding rural areas, according to a report by Climate Central. And the population at greatest risk of suffering from heat-related illnesses in the summer is people experiencing homelessness. Keep reading…
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National links: 25 years later, the ‘chunnel’ has transformed travel in Europe
On its 25th birthday, here's a look at how the “chunnel” changed Europe. First-time homebuyers in Houston are competing with algorith-armed hedge funds. Da Vinci was proposing mixed-use development and other modern planning practices 500 years ahead of his time. Keep reading…