By Rachel Goldfarb, originally published on Next New Deal
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The Best City for the Next Generation of Artists Just Might Be Jackson (Atlantic Cities)
Roosevelt Institute | Pipeline Fellow Nona Willis Aronowitz continues her series on cities where Millennials can succeed. She reports on the art scene in Jackson, MI, where young creatives are taking advantage of cheap available space to try new projects.
Wall Street Slumlords’ Outrageous New Scheme: How They Could Wreck the Economy Again (Salon)
David Dayen reports on Wall Street's newest housing-based investment vehicle, which are backed by rental payments. Ratings agencies have given these securities triple-A ratings, but mortgage-backed securities had the same rating.
The One Mortgage Fix Washington Isn’t Talking About (ProPublica)
Jesse Eisenger considers the pros and cons of keeping Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in government, even though policymakers are ignoring that option. He thinks it might be the simplest and most effective choice - but it's the direct opposite of current policy trends.
A Booster Shot for Social Security (In These Times)
Sarah Jaffe explains the plan some progressive Democrats are presenting to expand Social Security. They call chained CPI a tax on life itself for seniors, because it assumes people will substitute cheaper goods when possible - but health care has no substitutes.
Ten States Have Banned Cities And Counties From Passing Paid Sick Days (ThinkProgress)
Bryce Covert looks at the states that passed preemptive laws banning municipalities from enacting paid sick leave. These states apparently know better than their cities, which may want to eliminate the lost productivity that comes with sick workers on the job.
Unemployment Benefits Set To Expire For 1.3 Million At End Of Year (HuffPo)
Arthur Delaney says that Congressional patterns of cutting close to the deadline for extending federal unemployment benefits should be cause for concern again this year. With Congress's disinterest in preventing SNAP cuts, he wonders if the same could happen here.
A Hunger Expert Explains What Happens Now That Food Stamps Are Cut (WaPo)
Dylan Matthews speaks to Joel Berg of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger about how SNAP cuts will affect food-insecure Americans, and how he would structure policy around hunger. Berg thinks that benefits weren't enough before the cuts.
New Student Loan Rules Add Protections for Borrowers (NYT)
Ann Carrns explains new rules from the Department of Education meant to helped borrowers get out of default. Income-based rehabilitative payments and increased ease in requesting forbearance should make a big difference for struggling graduates.