Matt Levin

Latest Stories (202)

Pandemic or not, consumers have an appetite for sweet snacks

May 17, 2021
The snack industry is seeing inflation, so you may have to pay a higher price for those cupcakes.
A stack of boxes of Twinkies, Hostess' most popular product, sits on a grocery store shelf. Hostess went public today, after years of financial strife and transformation.
ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Schools gradually add back jobs, but teacher shortage may worsen

May 7, 2021
Younger teachers may also be more inclined to leave and even switch career paths entirely.
Because of remote learning and $190 billion in federal aid, there haven’t been massive teacher layoffs. But stress and burnout could push people from the field, one education researcher says.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

When the spirit moves: Church real estate is heating up

May 4, 2021
Though some churches need to sell, many nondenominational churches are growing rapidly and looking for bigger digs.
Like residential real estate, church properties need curb appeal. This Walnut Creek church is listed for more than a million dollars.
Matt Levin/Marketplace

The pandemic could mean new housing for those experiencing homelessness

Apr 23, 2021
COVID has resulted in a wave of federal money directed at helping the roughly 580,000 people without stable shelter.
Under the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan, $10 billion is set to go to local governments this year for emergency housing vouchers and low-income housing.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

California "Zoom town" grapples with influx of remote workers

Apr 13, 2021
Truckee's newcomers boost the local economy, but long-term residents see rising prices and a culture clash.
A street in Truckee, California. Since the pandemic hit, the mountain town has become a destination for remote workers, who've brought higher prices and increased congestion.
Matt Levin/Marketplace

Is your bridge bad enough to get infrastructure money?

Apr 9, 2021
President Biden's plan calls for fixing 20,000 miles of roads and 10,000 bridges. But which are most in need?
One bridge in the worst shape? The Brent Spence Bridge, which spans the Ohio River and was declared functionally obsolete in the 1990s.
Jeff Dean/AFP via Getty Images

A recall election is an economy unto itself

Mar 24, 2021
California Gov. Gavin Newsom will likely face a recall election this fall. That means a flood of campaign contributions.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, will likely face a recall election this fall, more than a year before his first term in office is supposed to end.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The big empty: San Francisco is sitting on millions of square feet of vacant office space

Mar 17, 2021
Which raises the question: Does it look the city's going to ghost itself?
While other office spaces remain empty, some trophy properties, like the Salesforce building, center, remain hot commodities.
Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

The uncertain future of commuter friendships

Mar 5, 2021
We could lose a unique kind of relationship due to working from home.
An empty Amtrak car headed for the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to the pandemic, riders would enjoy camaraderie and make career connections.
Matt Levin/Marketplace

What happens when you're vaccinated and your partner isn't?

Feb 10, 2021
As more Americans get vaccinated, decisions around travel and socializing can get complicated.
Dr. Thomas Lew, who is vaccinated, and his fiancee, Anne Li, who is not. They're thinking about whether to take a trip to Hawaii.
Matt Levin/Marketplace