Coronavirus on Surfaces: What You Should Know


April 1, 2020 — Many emergency room workers remove their clothes as soon as they get home — some before they even enter. Does that mean you should worry about COVID-19 transmission from your own clothing, towels, and other textiles?

While researchers found that the virus can remain on some surfaces for up to 72 hours, the study didn’t include fabric. “So far, evidence suggests that it’s harder to catch the virus from a soft surface (such as fabric) than it is from frequently touched hard surfaces like elevator buttons or door handles,” wrote Lisa Maragakis, MD, senior director of infection prevention at the Johns Hopkins Health System.

for the complete article:  webmd.com/lung/news/20200401

It is an incredible eye-opening article

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1804 – The 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. With the amendment, Electors were directed to vote for a President and for a Vice-President, rather than for two choices for President.


The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and VicePresident, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as VicePresident, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President

Constitution.congress.gov

1917- July 27-28 , Silent Parade organised by James Weldon Johnson of 10,000 African-Americans who march on 5th Ave in NYC to protest against lynching


Jul 27, 2020 The July 28, 1917 Silent Protest Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City, was one of the first major mass demonstrations by African Americans. Conceived by James Weldon Johnson and organized by the NAACP with church and community leaders, the protest parade united an estimated 10,000 African Americans who marched down Fifth Avenue, gathering at 55th–59th Streets and proceeding to Madison Square, silently carrying banners condemning racist violence and racial discrimination. More info: https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/191…

Reminder: Ending DACA could have cost states billions in GDP ~ reminder


While several groups on both sides of the political aisle have posted how much they believe ending DACA will cost, the trump admin didn’t and still doesn’t seem to care or understand GDP. 

As Americans, some of us believe in the lowercase c for capitalism, so the idea that it would cost approximately $290 billion-plus to end DACA and Deport the Dreamers as well seems like an obvious wtf moment. The logical response would seem to be Nah, we can’t afford to do this, so working this ish out in a reasonable bipartisan way seems much saner… right?

So, the demand to end DACA was heard and being pushed worldwide by the now-former and late AG Jeff Sessions in what seemed like an exciting press conference, at least to him. Yet, those who understood the gravity of the decision fought back. It doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist to understand how GDP works and what its ultimate impact is on our economy.  Well, a few civilians get it. 

 Luckily, the courts stepped in then, but the struggle, fight, and best efforts for a perfect union continue.

~Nativegrl77

1944 U.S. Army begins to desegregate training camp facilities


1944 – The U.S. Army began desegregating its training camp facilities. Black platoons were then assigned to white companies in the first step toward battlefield integration.

However, the official order integrating the armed forces didn’t come until July 26, 1948, signed by President Harry Truman.

Executive Order 9981 is an executive order issued on July 26, 1948, by President Harry S. Truman. It abolished discrimination “on the basis of racecolorreligion or national origin” in the United States Armed Forces. The executive order led to the end of segregation in the services during the Korean War (1950-1953).[1]

Overview of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (2026)


The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644) became law on July 11, 2026, after passing Congress on June 23. It is one of the largest federal housing‑supply packages in decades and includes more than 40 sections across 12 titles

The major new U.S. housing law in 2026 is the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, enacted July 11, 2026, which expands housing supply, limits large institutional home purchases, streamlines voucher inspections, and promotes affordable construction.

Overview of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (2026)

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644) became law on July 11, 2026, after passing Congress on June 23. It is one of the largest federal housing‑supply packages in decades and includes more than 40 sections across 12 titles.

Key Federal Provisions

  • Increasing Housing Supply:
    Reduces regulatory barriers, encourages zoning reform, and incentivizes local governments to allow more housing construction. 
  • Institutional Investor Restrictions:
    Limits purchases of new single‑family homes by large institutional investors owning 350+ homes, with exceptions for build‑to‑rent. 
  • Voucher Inspection Streamlining:
    Allows units already inspected under LIHTC, HOME, or USDA programs to satisfy Housing Choice Voucher inspections, reducing delays. 
  • Whole‑Home Repair Pilot:
    Grants and forgivable loans for repairs and modifications for homeowners and landlords. 
  • Small‑Dollar Mortgage Expansion:
    FHA pilot for mortgages ≤100,000 USD and CFPB review of lending rules to improve access in lower‑cost markets. 
  • Manufactured & Modular Housing Reforms:
    Removes permanent chassis requirement, updates financing limits, and expands modular housing financing. 
  • CDBG Flexibility:
    Allows CDBG funds to support new affordable housing construction and ties some funding to local production performance. 

House Amendment Differences (May 2026)

The House amendment to the Act introduced several changes:

  • Removed six sections (e.g., lifting RAD cap, permanent CDBG‑DR authorization).
  • Restored 18 sections from the Housing for the 21st Century Act, including new PHA oversight rules.
  • Modified institutional investor restrictions by removing the seven‑year forced divestiture requirement.
  • Added a requirement for CDBG grantees to publish databases of undeveloped public land.

Related Legislation: Housing for the 21st Century Act (2026)

Passed by the House in February 2026, this act overlaps heavily with the ROAD Act and includes:

  • Land‑use policy guidelines and best practices.
  • Streamlined environmental review processes.
  • Adjusted FHA multifamily loan limits.
  • GAO study on workforce housing.

State‑Level Housing Reforms in 2026

States also advanced significant housing reforms:

Arizona (2026)

  • SB1431: Prohibits cities from requiring HOAs or aesthetic standards for single‑family homes; prevents permit delays based on such requirements.
  • SB1787: Codifies Sheetz v. El Dorado by requiring individualized determinations of exactions (vetoed April 7, 2026).

California (2026)

  • AB1070: Studies shifting missing‑middle housing to residential building code.
  • AB1294: Creates uniform permit applications and prevents incomplete‑permit classifications.
  • SB1014 & SB1116: Streamline urban infill townhome production and infrastructure requirement disclosures.

Summary

The year 2026 saw sweeping federal and state housing reforms centered on expanding supply, reducing regulatory barriers, limiting institutional investor dominance, and improving affordability.

Sources: housingaffordabilityinstitute.org , CNBC , Congress.gov , bipartisanpolicy.org , narpm.org , copilot

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