Upzoning and the Housing Affordability Crisis, Trump's Big Tech Lawsuits, and More

July 17, 2021

Development in Downtown Brooklyn in New York contrasts with older low rise buildings

Several U.S. cities have looked to upzoning—reforming zoning regulations to allow for added residential density—to encourage development, increase housing supplies, and improve housing affordability. Jenna Davis explains why more research is needed to better understand how different kinds of upzoning policies affect displacement, gentrification, and neighborhood change.

How Western policymakers can engage the new Arab diasporas

The Arab uprisings that began a decade ago led to new diasporic communities that remain politically active and retain strong ties to their home state. Noha Aboueldahab argues that policymakers should pay more attention to these Arab diasporas and use them in identifying solutions to armed conflict and problems of governance.

Trump's Big Tech lawsuits highlight the urgency of Section 230 reform

While Donald Trump's recently filed lawsuits against Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have little legal basis to succeed, they serve as an important reminder that there is still much for legislators to address on Section 230, Samantha Lai contends.

Upcoming webinars to watch

Lessons for supporting local communities. In 2009, the Obama administration launched the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, which brought federal agencies together to work on affordable housing, transportation, and environmental protection. This Wednesday, a panel of high-level policy staff will reflect on the program and discuss what a revival could look like in the Biden era.

The crisis in Myanmar. Early this year, the Burmese military detained State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi in the country's first coup d'état since 1988. With a humanitarian crisis now unfolding, how should the international community respond? Join us on Thursday for a conversation on the current state of play.

What's next for trans-Atlantic data flows? On Friday, the Center for Technology Innovation will host a webinar to discuss issues of cross-border data transfers and data localization in the context of ongoing negotiations to replace the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) will deliver the event's keynote address.

Help support Brookings with a donation

Brookings is committed to making its high-quality, independent policy research free to the public. Please consider making a contribution today to our Annual Fund to support our experts' work.

The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. is currently closed and all events are virtual only. For more information on the Institution’s response, read our full guidance here.

Manage your newsletter preferences | Receive the Brookings Brief less often