Rich Americans, unlike the rest of the middle class, had an escape plan in place for any worldwide disaster long before the coronavirus began driving the rich out of New York and elsewhere in droves. New Zealand is a hotspot for doomsday survival plans for the mega rich; it’s far enough away from most civilization to avoid human contact but provides all of the luxuries the rich are accustomed to. The shelters in New Zealand can easily go as high as US$8 million with additional features like luxury bathrooms, game rooms, shooting ranges, gyms, theaters and surgical beds. Bunkers have also... Read More

Income inequality is becoming even more of a sore spot as COVID-19 wreaks havoc on the economy and jobs, effectively wiping the slate and putting us all back in the recession from a decade ago. Many who were living paycheck to paycheck are hovering over a bank account login desperately waiting for a stimulus check or and unemployment check to pay their bills. The rich, on the other hand, have overwhelmingly been unaffected, though they are not immune to the virus. In population dense cities like New York, areas such as Queens have disproportionate number of positive case in a cramped immigrant... Read More

The community benefits program began in 2018, with the Council last year allowing a trade-off where if the city provides more affordable housing options, there will be exceptions for the height of commercial buildings, allowing them to be taller than is normally allowed. The city is considering adding more trade-offs for commercial developments in the wake of coronavirus, including allowing an even bigger bonus of height in commercial buildings provided the building offers some of its space at a below-market price in an effort to boost the economy. “The issue is whether we ought to be engaging... Read More

The Leeds Business Research Division at CU Boulder has been recording Colorado business confidence for the last 17 years based on a scale, with 50 points being a neutral level. At the beginning of the year, the business confidence level in Colorado was sitting at right about 50, but with the recent layoffs and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the scale has dropped to 29.7, the lowest its been since the scale was introduced–with scores being even lower than 2009 recession level confidence. The scale is compiled from business leaders’ expectations around Colorado and consists of expectations... Read More