Credit Conditions across the U.S.

A great map courtesy of Federal Reserve Bank of New York. It shows the credit conditions of United States, and it’s set to mortgages when you get to the site, but there’s other credit types you can look at (auto, credit cards, student) at http://data.newyorkfed.org/creditconditions/. It’s set to the recent quarter, but you can also look at changes from last year. You can also enter a specific county to look at.

Fine print I should really stress here; the vast swath of gray in the Great Plains state is because the population is so low, so they don’t map it (due to extreme changes a low number of people can have on the statistics).

Sobering look at foreclosures

Looks like we're not done yet. Story here. The question is, how will this affect the Milwaukee metro area?

But Hudson & Marshall and its rivals say they are gearing up for more (auctions) in the coming months, convinced that a moratorium on foreclosures earlier this year only postponed what they believe is an inevitable avalanche of new repossessions.

"The foreclosures are going to explode again," said Webb.

Cameron's House for Sale!

Remember the house Ferris Bueller's friend Cameron lived in? The one where Cameron crashed his father's Ferrari through the picture windows?

It's for sale.

Own a piece of Ferris Bueller history for only $2.3 million! It comes with its own Facebook fan page but the infamous Ferrari isn't included.

Universal Design in public space

Saw this blog today at Planetizen about incorporating Universal Design into everyday designing & planning. Although the author specifically talks about sidewalks and streets in Buenos Aries, this type of public accessibility are covered by federal laws in United States. But still, the basic concept as described is why I and other advocates for people with disabilities promote Universal Design in planning and design:

What do these failures cost? A lot, in reduced productivity and lost dignity. People who lack basic mobility (link is from original article)are unable to participate in activities that most of us take for granted: schooling, employment, shopping, recreation and socializing.

Even if the streets and sidewalks are 100% accessible (which ideally, they should be), failure to use Universal Design in other areas such as housing, both multi-family and single-family, can limit the options available to people with disabilities. People may not be able to get in & out of their homes if they suddenly acquired a disability (accidents happen everyday, you know). They might not be able to live where they want, close to their families, friends, church or job. They may not be able to visit their friends & families whose homes are inaccessible to them.

This is why I am working to ensure that housing that a Waukesha County Housing Trust Fund provides funding for incorporates Universal Design or Visitability.