Latest news with #affordability
Sustainability Times
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Sustainability Times
'This E-Bike Weighs Less Than Your Backpack': Dahon's New Ultra-Light Electric Ride Breaks Price Barriers Without Sacrificing Power
IN A NUTSHELL 🚴♂️ Dahon introduces the K-Feather , a lightweight folding electric bike designed for affordability and accessibility. introduces the , a lightweight folding electric bike designed for affordability and accessibility. 🔧 The bike weighs just 26.5 pounds and utilizes advanced design features like Dahon's patented DELTECH technology for enhanced performance. 💰 With a price of $1,199, the K-Feather is significantly more affordable than other lightweight e-bikes, broadening its appeal. 🌍 The K-Feather is ideal for urban commuters, offering practical solutions with its compact size, ease of storage, and adjustable seating. The world of electric bicycles is constantly evolving, with each year bringing new innovations and lighter designs. However, these advancements often come with a hefty price tag, leaving many potential riders feeling left out. Enter the Dahon K-Feather, a revolutionary folding electric bike that promises to deliver both lightweight convenience and affordability. With its innovative design and accessible price point, the K-Feather is set to change the landscape of e-bikes, making it easier for everyone to enjoy the benefits of electric-assisted cycling without breaking the bank. Dahon's Legacy in the Folding Bike Market Since the 1980s, Dahon has been a pioneer in the folding bike industry, consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation. The company's commitment to quality and design has earned it a reputation as one of the most respected names in the field. Dahon's patented frame designs, including the DELTECH technology and the unique 'super down tube,' have set the standard for folding bike construction, improving both rigidity and weight reduction. This commitment to innovation has allowed Dahon to stay ahead of its competitors, continually offering new and exciting products that meet the needs of modern cyclists. The K-Feather is a testament to this legacy, combining cutting-edge technology with affordability to deliver a product that is both functional and stylish. The Technical Marvel Behind the K-Feather The K-Feather stands out for its ingenious combination of lightweight design and robust performance. Weighing only 26.5 pounds, this folding e-bike achieves its feather-like weight through a novel frame design that incorporates Dahon's proprietary technologies. Its electrical system is equally impressive, featuring a 250W hub motor that provides a gentle yet effective 32 Nm of torque. While the battery offers a range of up to 24.8 miles under ideal conditions, real-world usage might see a slight decrease, especially in hilly areas. The bike's system, which automatically conserves power during downhill rides, works to maximize battery life, making the K-Feather an ideal choice for urban commuters seeking efficiency and ease of use. Accessibility and Affordability One of the most compelling aspects of the Dahon K-Feather is its affordable price. At just $1,199 in the United States, this e-bike is a fraction of the cost of other lightweight electric bicycles on the market. For example, comparable models like the LeMond Prolog and Trek Domane+ SLR are priced significantly higher, making the K-Feather an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers. Here's a quick comparison: Model Weight Price (USD) Dahon K-Feather 26.5 lb $1,199 LeMond Prolog 26 lb $4,500 Trek Domane+ SLR 25.9 lb $8,999 This price accessibility, combined with Dahon's reputation for quality, makes the K-Feather a game-changer in the market, opening the door for more people to experience the convenience and joy of electric biking. Real-World Applications and Future Impact The K-Feather offers more than just a lightweight and affordable ride; it provides practical solutions for real-world commuting challenges. Its compact size and ease of folding make it an ideal choice for city dwellers and apartment residents who need a bike that can be easily stored or carried. The bike's adjustable seating accommodates a range of riders, ensuring comfort and usability for various body types. With six color options, it also allows buyers to choose a style that suits their personality. As Dahon continues to innovate, the K-Feather represents a significant step towards making e-bikes more mainstream. Its success could encourage other manufacturers to follow suit, pushing the industry towards more accessible and practical designs. The Dahon K-Feather is poised to make a significant impact on the electric bike market by offering an unbeatable combination of lightweight design and affordability. As this remarkable folding e-bike becomes more widely available, it raises an important question: will the K-Feather's success inspire a new wave of affordable, lightweight e-bikes, revolutionizing urban mobility on a global scale? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (23)
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Housing 'Out of Reach' for More Than Half of Workers?
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another edition of Rent Free. This week's newsletter includes stories on: The passage of single-stair reform in Nashville, Tennessee A new legal challenge to Seattle's affordable housing fees How a zoning code dispute in Illinois could produce a rare full-service Popeyes franchise But first, our lead item takes a look at the National Low Income Housing Coalition's latest Out of Reach report and its eyebrow-raising claims about the unaffordability of housing in America. Can Half of Workers Really Not Afford To Rent an Apartment? The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has released its annual Out of Reach report, which has once again found that a minimum wage earner cannot afford housing almost anywhere in the country. This year's report, like every year's report, has led to a string of local headlines about how there is no affordable housing in this state or that county. The 2025 Out of Reach report will, like its predecessors, be used as a citation in many a housing think piece claiming that it's impossible for low-wage workers to put a roof over their heads. As a media product, the Out of Reach report is very successful. The data within it are useful for showing what kind of housing is available where and at what price. Certainly, housing costs are higher than they would be in a free market. The NLIHC's report highlights the undeniable reality that lower-income workers bear the brunt of these inflated housing costs. Still, the dire picture the Out of Reach report paints is largely a product of its overly prescriptive definition of what it means to be able to "afford" housing. The report therefore misses the many options lower-income people have for economizing on housing costs, even in the context of artificially high rents. It largely treats as illegitimate the tradeoffs people will always have to make when choosing where to live, even if prices were much lower and wages much higher. The Out of Reach report's "signature statistic" is the "housing wage." That's the hourly wage a single person would need to earn working 40 hours a week in order to spend no more than 30 percent of his income renting a home priced at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Fair Market Rent. Fair Market Rent is defined by HUD as the 40th percentile gross rent for a standard quality unit. According to this year's report, the national hourly "housing wage" needed to afford a two-bedroom home is $33.63 and $28.17 for a one-bedroom unit. The report also calculates state- and county-specific housing wages based on local housing costs. The housing wage is an interesting snapshot of housing costs vs. earnings. The Out of Reach report nevertheless comes to some strange conclusions by using it as the benchmark measure of housing affordability. The report finds, for instance, that "nowhere in the United States—no state, metropolitan area, or county—can a full-time minimum-wage worker afford a modest two-bedroom rental home." Only in 7 percent of counties can they afford a one-bed rental. If renting a midmarket, two-bed unit all by himself while spending no more than 30 percent of his income on rent were a minimum wage earner's only option, he would in fact be unable to afford housing anywhere. Yet minimum wage earners have options besides that. They can rent smaller units. They can rent units priced below Fair Market Rents. They can split the cost of housing with a wage-earning partner or roommates. They could also just pay more than 30 percent of their income in rent. None of these options is necessarily ideal. They're also not unreasonable things to expect a minimum wage earner to do to put a roof over his head. Yet the Out of Reach report largely treats them as unacceptable. Living with roommates amounts to "overcrowding." Renting a lower-priced unit is living in "substandard" housing. Paying more than 30 percent of one's income on rent means your housing is inherently unaffordable. The Out of Reach report similarly says that "more than half of all wage earners cannot afford a modest one-bedroom rental home at Fair Market Rent while working full-time. At least 60% cannot afford a modest two-bedroom rental home while working full-time." Yet the vast majority of those wage earners are not currently homeless. Clearly they're meeting their housing needs somehow, despite not earning a so-called housing wage. Most likely, they too are making some tradeoffs between unit price, location, quality, and size. The fact is that individuals and families are always going to have to make those tradeoffs at any price and wage level. Lowering housing costs through deregulation—so that more housing, and more types of housing, can be built in more places—would certainly lessen the tradeoffs between housing costs and other desirable features. Yet by ignoring that people do (and always will) make tradeoffs when finding housing, the Out of Reach report downplays what land-use deregulation can accomplish. While calling it an essential part of an overall affordability strategy, the report says that "zoning reform alone cannot solve the affordable housing crisis, particularly for the lowest-income renters." That's probably true if the goal is having every minimum wage worker spending no more than 30 percent of his income to live by himself in a midpriced, two-bedroom unit while working no more than 40 hours a week. It's probably not true if the goal is to give that minimum wage earner more housing options, so that he and his partner can afford to live in a larger unit, or he individually can rent a room closer to work or school. Free markets give people what they want at a price they're willing to pay. What they might be willing to pay for might be something different than what the Out of Reach report imagines they should have. Nashville Passes Single-Stair Reform This past Tuesday, the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County passed a reform that will allow apartment complexes of up to six stories to be built with just one staircase. This makes Nashville only the third city in the country to allow single-stair buildings of that size, behind Seattle and New York City. Housing advocates have increasingly focused their efforts on liberalizing building code requirements that most multifamily buildings come with two staircases. They say this requirement, justified as a fire safety measure, makes it harder for builders to construct multifamily developments on smaller lots. Allowing single-stair buildings will enable more small-lot development, as well as more flexible floor plans that feature more windows, they say. "Nashville is too expensive. The goal of this legislation is not just to allow more affordable, middle-class housing but to allow better, higher-quality housing as well," says Council Member Rollin Horton, who sponsored Nashville's single-stair reform. Earlier this year, Austin, Texas, voted to allow single-stair developments of up to five stories. Also this year, the Colorado Legislature passed a bill requiring larger cities to allow five-story single-stair apartments by 2027. Property Owners Challenge Seattle's Affordable Housing Fees I wrote last week about a new constitutional challenge in Seattle's Mandatory Housing Affordability program, which charges property owners "affordable housing" fees for adding even just one unit of housing. A snippet: Married couple Mehrit Teshome and Rocco Volker want to redevelop their single-family home into a smaller duplex and accessory dwelling unit. Local builder James Vert would like to construct four townhomes on his property. The city's zoning code allows them to do this. But its Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program would require them either to make two of their new units rent-restricted affordable housing or otherwise pay hefty affordable housing fees—roughly $36,000 in the Volkers' case and $126,000 in Vert's. The MHA was created as a "grand bargain" between large developers, affordable housing groups, trade unions, and other stakeholders. Its "dual-approach" to housing supply allowed developers to construct larger residential projects across dozens of city neighborhoods. In exchange, projects in these upzoned neighborhoods would have to include rent-restricted affordable housing units or pay into an affordable housing fund. Like other "inclusionary zoning" policies, Seattle's MHA program acts as a tax on new housing supply. Builders must absorb the costs of money-losing below-market-rate units into their projects. A recent city-commissioned report found that the MHA's affordability mandates were acting as a "small but important" headwind on housing supply in Seattle's challenging building environment. The Volkers and Vert are challenging these fees as an unconstitutional taking of their property. Similar constitutional challenges to inclusionary zoning, including to Seattle's program, have been unsuccessful. But the plaintiffs are hoping that with this new set of facts, and some recent Supreme Court rulings, they'll prevail this time. Could a Local Zoning Code Force a Popeyes To Add Table Service? A small but revealing zoning dispute out of Evanston, Illinois, shows just how micromanaging commercial zoning codes can be. As the Evanston Roundtable reports, a local Popeyes franchisee, Karim Poonja, has withdrawn his application to open a new location of the fast-casual fried chicken restaurant. Instead, he's now asking permission to open a full-service Popeyes restaurant with waiters and table service. That would be an atypical setup for a Popeyes to have. It might be a necessary setup if Poonja is going to get his restaurant approved by city officials. Per the Roundtable, a fast-casual "Type 2" restaurant requires a lengthier approval process and third parties are allowed to appeal their approval. That's exactly what happened in Poonja's case when a nearby health center appealed his "Type 2" permit application. The health center owner complained about the unhealthy food the restaurant would serve and the smell it would generate. Poonja is now trying to avoid a lengthy land-use battle by applying for permission to open a "Type 1" restaurant. The land-use approval process for Type 1 restaurants is a lot more streamlined and does not afford third parties a chance to object. But the zoning code requires a Type 1 restaurant to have customers order from waiters at a table, booth, or dining counter, and for the restaurant to use nondisposable flatware and dishware. Should Poonja's new application be approved, one can thank zoning for creating the first upscale, full-service Popeyes restaurant. Quick Links Current Affairs has a new piece on how you're not "angry enough" about homelessness in America. That could well be true. Author Lily Sanchez's argument that homelessness has little to do with housing supply, and instead is a result of the "landlord class" limiting housing access, definitely isn't. After all, if landlords can set housing costs independent of supply and demand, you always have to ask, "Why aren't they setting the price higher?" At Reason, Steven Greenhut takes California's conservatives to task for opposing zoning reform. Also at Reason, Tosin Akintola reports on where rents are falling the most in America. (Spoiler: It's not in places that make it the most difficult to build.) Washington state officials, making use of the state's new rent control law, are capping rent increases for next year at 10 percent. At Vox, Rachel Cohen Booth reports on the effort to repeal HUD's chassis requirement for manufactured housing. Shelterforce reports that an increasing number of cities and states are proposing and passing bans on landlords' using algorithmic pricing software. Read a past Rent Free on why these bans are misplaced. The post Is Housing 'Out of Reach' for More Than Half of Workers? appeared first on
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Americans Are Moving to This Small Southern Suburb in 2025 for Its Affordability and Wide-open Spaces
Americans are on the move, and they are searching for affordability, space, and a better work-life balance. Relocation company MoveBuddha has released its latest 2025 Moving Trends Report, which analyzed over 55,000 searches on its website to determine where people are planning to move this year so far. The most popular domestic destination for relocation in the first six months of 2025 is Conway, South Carolina, with four times as many people seeking to move in compared to those wanting to move out. The city surpasses its neighbor, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which topped the list in the first quarter of the year. Conway, home to 28,000 full-time residents, offers the appeal of a vibrant community without the high housing costs and congestion associated with larger cities. South Carolina is the most popular state to move to so far, accounting for the highest volume of inbound searches—or over 22 percent. The Southeast has a strong showing in the top ten, with North Carolina and Tennessee seeing spikes in inbound demand. 'There's been some broadening in migration interest, with lesser-known and previously overlooked destinations gaining ground as formerly popular locations reach saturation and cost limits,' the report stated. 'This year, smaller locations are becoming more popular, with huge demand and few residents calling it quits. That means movers are very interested in just a handful of popular locales, and cities that haven't grown in popularity this year, even if they're maintaining strong migration interest, are falling behind.' At the other end of the spectrum, New Jersey, California, and New York have seen many more inquiries for outbound moves, meaning those states stand to lose residents rather than gain. 'These states, in addition to being densely populated, face affordability challenges in an America struggling with persistent inflation and pay that hasn't kept up,' MoveBuddha noted. The communities of West Des Moines, Iowa, as well as El Cajon and Palmdale, both in California, are the top "exit cities," as the company called them. See the full report at Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
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Travel + Leisure
6 hours ago
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
Americans Are Moving to This Small Southern Suburb in 2025 for Its Affordability and Space
Conway, South Carolina, topped MoveBuddha's report on the most popular domestic relocation destination so far in 2025. The Palmetto State is also the most sought-after state to move to this year, accounting for over 22 percent of inbound searches. New Jersey, California, and New York have received the highest number of outbound inquiries, indicating that these states are more likely to lose residents in the future. Americans are on the move, and they are searching for affordability, space, and a better work-life balance. Relocation company MoveBuddha has released its latest 2025 Moving Trends Report, which analyzed over 55,000 searches on its website to determine where people are planning to move this year so far. The most popular domestic destination for relocation in the first six months of 2025 is Conway, South Carolina, with four times as many people seeking to move in compared to those wanting to move out. The city surpasses its neighbor, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which topped the list in the first quarter of the year. Conway, home to 28,000 full-time residents, offers the appeal of a vibrant community without the high housing costs and congestion associated with larger cities. South Carolina is the most popular state to move to so far, accounting for the highest volume of inbound searches—or over 22 percent. The Southeast has a strong showing in the top ten, with North Carolina and Tennessee seeing spikes in inbound demand. 'There's been some broadening in migration interest, with lesser-known and previously overlooked destinations gaining ground as formerly popular locations reach saturation and cost limits,' the report stated. 'This year, smaller locations are becoming more popular, with huge demand and few residents calling it quits. That means movers are very interested in just a handful of popular locales, and cities that haven't grown in popularity this year, even if they're maintaining strong migration interest, are falling behind.' At the other end of the spectrum, New Jersey, California, and New York have seen many more inquiries for outbound moves, meaning those states stand to lose residents rather than gain. 'These states, in addition to being densely populated, face affordability challenges in an America struggling with persistent inflation and pay that hasn't kept up,' MoveBuddha noted. The communities of West Des Moines, Iowa, as well as El Cajon and Palmdale, both in California, are the top "exit cities," as the company called them. See the full report at
CBS News
11 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston details challenges like housing, crime in State of the City Address
In his State of the City address, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston spoke about a wide range of issues and improvements affecting the city. Addressing housing issues, affordability, crime, and public safety while touting his administration's efforts toward renewable energy and reviving downtown Denver. Johnston also shared his frustration with federal actions like immigration and budgets. The mayor then looked at where our city is now and where it could be headed. Hundreds poured into a ballroom at the Denver Performing Arts Center for the State of the City address on Monday. "It requires deciding what priorities and programs may be meaningful in times of growth but are not essential in times of need. That's the work ahead of us," Johnston said. Beyond budget and clear tension with the Trump administration, Johnston highlighted the city's near record drop in homicide rate, and saw 45% fewer unhoused people on the street. "We've closed every large encampment in the city and re-opened sidewalks to pedestrians and businesses," Johnston explained. Johnston went on to say, "We focused on putting more officers on the streets and are on track to hire a total of 300 police officers during 2024 and 2025." As a result, every policy or development impacts those downtown. Derek Friedman owns a sports store on the mall, SportsFan. He says he's seen big changes over the last few years that are bringing in more customers. "There's definitely been a roller coaster on 16th Street," Friedman said, mentioning that years ago, "There were people carrying weapons into the store, and homeless folks who were really struggling in all ways that you can imagine, but we don't really see that anymore." But even while many unhoused are off the street, critics say those people might not be better off, with many questioning if there are enough resources at the transitional housing options the city provides. "Folks have access to mental health support, long-term housing navigation, workforce training, addiction treatment," Johnston went on the say, "But we're really focused on trying to get those services delivered faster so they can get access to housing and get out faster." But every resource and shared plan to bring in new businesses and affordable housing projects to Denver costs money. "What we know is the strategies we're using are working, and what we want to do is keep implementing those strategy changes," Johnston said. Johnston also said that current tax extensions that have been approved would continue to invest in downtown for years to come. Now, as Monday's celebrations continued beyond the speech, Denver locals like Friedman are hoping Johnston's promises do too. "Wait and see is a good way to characterize it, because you can't just have a single moment of investment post construction, it has to be a long period of time where you see the safety, security and the beauty continue to be invested in," Friedman said. As the city looks to the budget for next year, city workers have shared concerns about investment in their jobs. And while Johnston shared his appreciation for their work in his address on Monday, many shared the continued concern that layoffs could still be ahead.
