It would be callous to suggest that in the dark, early, and deadly days of the Covid-19 pandemic there were bright spots or signs of hope. But thinking back to the spring of 2020, it’s easy to remember the ways in which elected officials across the nation and around the world—at least at the city level—used their powers to make life under lockdown a little easier for their citizenry.
One commonly used tactic at that time was a reapportioning of the most abundant public resource: streets. With car traffic all but evaporated, thanks to high levels of remote work and a sudden surge in unemployment, allowing people access to their streets lessened not only the burden of being stuck at home but also the anxiety that accompanied the often-frightening messaging about the need to stay at least six feet away from other people at all times.
Read Full Article »