Happy (day after) Valentine’s Day, local news lovers. As you already know, here at Below the Fold, we’re celebrating by directing all our affection towards the local newsrooms helping us stay informed on important issues across the country. Want to join us? We made this 15-second video with five easy ways to support local news. In the meantime, we’re turning our attention to trends in California, North Carolina, and Kansas worth our national attention.

The hidden human costs of online shopping

Fri Feb 12

It’s no secret that the pandemic has dramatically increased online spend. Now, additional warehouses are needed to help companies deliver those purchases quickly. But where do we find the land to construct them on?

The current answer could leave our most vulnerable populations homeless: rezoning. In California’s Inland Empire, Bloomington is considering rezoning residential areas for industrial use to support nearby Los Angeles and San Diego’s growing ecommerce. Problem is, Bloomington is an unincorporated community, which means it’s not officially part of any city or legally included under any state laws. Congress has historically passed discriminatory tax laws in unincorporated areas, and in the case of Bloomington, it makes them a favorable choice for rezoning.

This means private homes could be turned into warehouses. This is concerning Bloomington residents, more than 80% of whom are Hispanic, for a number of reasons. 

• First, the community feels encroached upon. Most of Bloomington is part of a lower-income population who worry that these warehouses only encourage jobs that are typically temporary, lower-wage, and lack benefits.
• Second, they fear the environmental ramifications. While the region already suffers from pollution blown in from Los Angeles, more warehouses mean more large trucks passing through. This damages air quality further and ultimately raises healthcare costs for a community least able to afford it. 

And this isn’t the first time it’s happened. Amazon has been building distribution centers in low income neighborhoods for years. And with the pandemic only fueling online shopping, a debate is brewing over what the true cost of ecommerce success really is.

In Charlotte, a struggle for racial equity continues amid ‘urban renewal’

Fri Feb 12

When it comes to economic mobility, Charlotte, North Carolina ranks last in a study of American cities. And those who suffer most are the city’s Black residents, often as the result of redlining and other predatory real estate practices over the past 50 years. 

Last year, the city pledged to fix this long-standing financial gap following the Black Lives Matter protests. But six months after this promise was made, from both public leaders and private companies, advocates say the plan has stalled. Instead, more than 1,400 homes, businesses, and churches have been torn down in Charlotte’s historically-Black neighborhood in the name of “urban renewal.”

Meanwhile other cities across America are actively working towards a more inclusive future. In Lexington, Kentucky, for example, the city is creating a new department intended to address racial inequality in government, the economy, and more. We expect to see more actions like this coming before Black History Month ends in two weeks. 

Kansas’s millennials are leaving. The state doesn’t know how to get them to stay

Tue Feb 9

Among the many pandemic-driven trends is housing migration. We’ve heard how major cities with high rent, such as New York or San Francisco, are seeing their residents flee, but there’s a lesser known state topping the list: Kansas.

In fact, Kansas has one of the highest rates in America of young people moving out of state. The state’s median age has also increased by ten years since 1960, suggesting that while Baby Boomers are getting older, the younger populations want to leave. 

So why are millennials leaving Kansas?

• The state’s resistance to policy change is losing interest from its younger residents, such as expanding abortion rights or allowing legalized marijuana.
• Job opportunities for graduates are limited as well, something potentially driven by the same resistance to policy change that would fail to attract a needed workforce.

Meanwhile some states are seeing influxes from the West, such as Idaho, where active investment has been made in building more schools, hospitals, and more. This shift in and out of various states is fundamentally remaking our cities and state politics as everyone competes for the best and brightest. So far, it has resulted in some bipartisan legislation efforts such as student loan forgiveness, and even cultural events like the Grand Rapids ArtPrize in Michigan.

This edition of Below the Fold is a part of our four-part series on Loving Local News. Enjoying the stories listed? Let us know. ↓