Posted inNPR

The ugly truth of America’s expensive homes

Do you feel poor every time you turn on Bravo television?

You’re not alone – the beautiful homes of the rich and famous showcased on reality TV shows from Keeping Up with the Kardashians to the Real Housewives of Atlanta are meant to be something of a fantasy for audiences everywhere. But what are the housing realities behind the glitz and glamour? And how are your favorite reality TV stars shaping your own ideas of home and stability? To find out, Brittany is joined by Jack Balderrama Morley, author of Dream Facades: The Cruel Architecture of Reality TV, and Liam Dillon, staff writer at Politico who covers housing in California.

Want more about cultural deep dives into Reality TV?

Check out these episodes:

Is this the end of reality TV?
The molten center of ‘The Real Housewives’ multiverse

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Posted inBusiness, Local, South Coast Bureau

New Bedford business improvement district will not move forward

Business leaders hoping to establish a business improvement district in downtown New Bedford have withdrawn their proposal, ending a fierce debate over whether property owners should pay additional fees to spruce up the neighborhood and market it to visitors.  In a letter sent to the City Council president on Monday afternoon, a consultant leading the […]

Posted inHousing, Local, South Coast Bureau

As home prices rise in New Bedford, is gentrification really to blame?

At a rally outside New Bedford City Hall last April, protesters shared stories about rent increases in their neighborhoods that seem to march in lockstep with the construction of a new train line to Boston that is scheduled to open this summer.  Viola Pina, a local landlord and former politician, blamed the train for attracting […]

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