Rowhomes in DC. by Jean & Oliver licensed under Creative Commons.

A hybrid housing model may bring opportunity and risk. Grocers may be forced to change post-coronavirus. An urban planner mapped the width of every street in New York City.

New housing model emerges in pandemic-driven economy: Co-ownership is a relatively new housing model in which investors provide down payments or home equity loans instead of just lending people money. In turn, investors take ownership stake in the homes. A potentially predatory idea, the model may gain momentum in this pandemic-driven economy. (Issi Romem | New York Times)

Grocery shopping could change post-corona: Despite technological advancements in stock and supply chain monitoring, many grocery stores still operate the way they have for over 30 years. But as more people shop from home, grocers may be forced to change to suit America’s new way of life. (Ian Bogost | The Atlantic)

Visualization exposes the difficulties of distancing in New York: Urban planner Meli Harvey developed a visualization that maps the width of every New York City street, showing how difficult it is for people to distance themselves while walking down narrow blocks. Still, Mayor Bill de Blasio remains reluctant to the idea of allowing pedestrian-only streets. (Gwen Aviles | NBC News)

Norway’s “aha” moment on electric vehicles: What led to Norway having the world’s highest per capita ownership of electric vehicles? A 1995 road trip in an electric Fiat in which the passengers refused to pay road tolls, parked illegally, and ignored penalities. (Elisabeth Ulven and Jon Henley | The Guardian)

Milan plans for a people-oriented future: This summer, Milan will prioritize streets for pedestrians and cyclists. Its experimental plan, which includes 22 miles of streets, consists of temporary cycle lanes, new and widened pavements, and 20 mph speed limits. The changes are inspired, in part, by drops in traffic and air pollution resulting from coronavirus lockdowns. (Laura Laker | The Guardian)

Quote of the Week

“We have jobs in the Inland Port. But sometimes because of a lack of transportation, [employees] can’t get to work on time. Then the companies have to retrain another employee, and it may cost $3,500 a year to train another employee.”

Dallas City Council Member Tennell Atkins in the Texas Observer discussing transportation access issues in the region.

This week on the podcast, University of Iowa Law Professor Greg Shill talks about how the law and tax code promotes automobile use over active transportation.