audio by year 2009

2008 is over. Now, we take a look back at the year's top news in the world of urban planning and development to see what trends defined 2008 -- and what's to come in 2009.

Clues Phoenix may be shrinking, San Francisco's parking experiment and Seattle's tunnel vision, all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, a rundown of some of the most interesting and important news and issues, airing weekly on "Smart City".

D.C.'s Inauguration Day transit boom, the transit bust in the stimulus plan, and Wal-Mart gone NIMBY, all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, a rundown of some of the most interesting and important news and issues, airing weekly on "Smart City".

Obama reverses a controversial Bush decision, the market crash spurs land conservation, and an economic stimulus gets transit moving in China -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on "Smart City".

Honolulu hooks air to rail, Toronto ups plans for a downtown subway, and rehabilitating rainforests prompt debate -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Another mall bites the dust, advertisers struggle to afford Paris' bike sharing system, and Las Vegas gambles on downtown -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

How the stimulus plan affects transit, energy, infrastructure and the environment, and how Obama plans to save America's housing -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

China's Olympic building bust, America's struggling small towns, and why those small towns represent the future of the U.S. -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

New York kicks cars off Broadway, Congress is advised to raise the gas tax and charge by VMT, and transportation jobs hit the street -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City".

Florida cans growth management, floundering retail leaves cities high and dry, and advertising takes over public spaces -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Florida cans growth management, floundering retail leaves cities high and dry, and advertising takes over public spaces -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Virginia cuts the cul-de-sac, the rectilinear grid comes back into vogue, and the foreclosure crisis is shaking things up for the 2010 Census -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Homeowners become home renters, road contractors slash prices, and Congress is told to link housing and transportation planning -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City".

Foreclosed homes and abandoned propoerties are becoming a big problem for homeowners, banks and cities. Hear why on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Dr. John Renne, co-director of the University Transportation Center at the University of New Orleans, William Millar, President & CEO of the American Public Transportation Association, and Jim RePass, President and CEO of the National Corridors Initiative. discuss the infrastructure and transportation investments that are needed to develop sustainable transportation systems in New Orleans and the U.S. as a whole. Read, listen or download.

Condos converting to affordable housing in New York, bankrupt developments converting to parks in Florida, and solar power heads to the Vatican, all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

The missing Office of Urban Policy, the unlikely success of a park under a bridge, and a plan to map the nation's playgrounds, all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Petaluma, CA is used to attention from the planning world, because they were one of the first cities in the United States to adopt a form-based code. Now the planning department is on the cutting edge for another reason: the city has decided to entirely eliminate its planning function due to budget cuts. We called Mike Moore, community development director for the City of Petaluma, to get the full story. Read, listen or download.

Neighbors come together, cities sue the California High Speed Rail project, and London's got its eye on a "living bridge", all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Minorities rise in the 'burbs, small cities struggle to retain youth, and a look inside declining Las Vegas, all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Patricia Salkin is a professor at Albany Law School in Albany, New York, and is one of the most interesting and prolific writers on the topic of land use law. She is the author of several books on the topic, and has a blog called The Law of the Land, covering everything from eminent domain to religious land use. Her latest book is actually an update to a classic reference guide, Andersen's American Law of Zoning.

Phoenix goes bust to boom, creative cities have no jobs for creative youths, and two reports highlight the disaster risks of urbanization, all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Unexpected cities for jobs, parks facing funding trouble in California, and the new U.S. Energy Secretary says to paint the world white, all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

The role of buildings on global warming, a car-free housing development, and the end of sprawl in New Jersey, all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

San Francisco gets tough on trash, bulldozers are seen as solutions for some cities, math helps solve traffic jams, and the affects of prison design -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City".Read, listen or download.

City crime rankings drill down, small-town Pennsylvania turns its cameras on, and big city mayors gripe about unfair stimulus distribution -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Rural areas feel the pain of renewable energy, Colorado catches rain, and London turns its temporary Olympic stadium permanent -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Enviros struggle to move past NIMBY tendencies, iPhones begin tracking urban nuisances, and a small town main street succeeds -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

L.A. uses park lights to fight crime, New Orleans debates tearing down a freeway, and New York turns abandoned homes to affordable housing -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Crime drops in U.S. cities, El Paso tries to block new billboards, and a new green street opens in California -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Concerns over the Supreme Court nominee's eminent domain leanings, Chicago's expensive Olympic bid, and Brazil's even more expensive World Cup -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

San Jose on the way to energy independence, two U.S. Cities dabble in bike-sharing, and the 'Detroit of Canada' struggles through the recession -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Miami nixes form-based code, cities warm up to tent cities, and Boston tries to be better to bikers -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

The dream of owing a home is turning out to be more of a nightmare for many Americans, and now the Obama Administration wants to put more focus on renting -- hear more on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

States reach out for rail money, HUD tightens lending rules, and slum dwellers pin hopes for revival on summer blockbuster -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Creating a new New Orleans, getting on the BRT in Johannesburg, and finding value in parks -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Turning off traffic lights in London, reducing VMT through density, and the rising demand for parks -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Towns join forces to fight the recession, Portland opens a new light rail line, and a new study reveals surprising results about bike lane safety -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Detroit shifts gears to the fashion industry, and light rail sees unexpected success in Phoenix -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

The end of The World, New Jersey planning under fire, and the benefits of green roofs -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

The Galapagos Island deal with a human invasion, and vacant retail is finding new life all across the country -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, download or listen.

In the second part of a two-part interview, Planetizen talks with White House Office of Urban Affairs Director Adolfo Carrion, Jr. about the federal government's new role in urban policy and the importance of regional planning. Read the full transcript, download, or listen.

Planetizen interviews White House Office of Urban Affairs Director Adolfo Carrion, Jr. about his vision for the office's role in guiding urban policy from the federal level. Read the full transcript, download, or listen.

Saving money by housing the homeless, Western cities team up to lure high speed rail funds, and the work begins on Rio's Olympic preparations -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, download or listen.

Miami approves a form-based code, Houston leans towards zoning, and non-profits work with HUD to green affordable housing -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on "Smart City". Read, listen or download.

Cities assessing the health impacts of planning, driving-to-qualify for health insurance, and the bike-sharing troubles plaguing Paris -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on "Smart City". Read, listen or download.