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The Planetizen News Brief

13 March 2008 - 5:00am
Smart City Radio

The Planetizen News Brief is a weekly rundown of some of the most interesting and important news and issues of the past week.

The Planetizen News Brief airs every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City", which is broadcast in cities across the U.S. Learn more about Smart City and listen to archived shows.

Full Transcript

It seems like the French may be on to something. Last summer they unveiled a citywide bike-sharing program in Paris that has placed thousands of rental bikes and stations on the streets of the French capitol. The system has been such a success that cities across the globe are looking to follow its lead, including the American capitol Washington D.C. Oregon congressman Earl Blumenauer recently proposed a bike-sharing program for congressional employees on Capitol Hill. According to the Oregonian, Blumenauer proposed the program to try to cut down on the high amount of short trips made by congressional staffers, mostly in cars. The bike-sharing program, dubbed Wheels4Wellness, is one of the first copycat systems in the U.S. to follow on the heels of the Paris bike-sharing system, a system that boasts a fleet 20,000-strong. But in the U.S., catching up may take a while – the Capitol Hill program is expected to start out with a fleet of 30.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, public art is coming under fire, as city officials are targeting murals around the city for removal. A recent segment on the radio program Which Way, L.A.? discussed how the city’s Department of Building and Safety is canvassing neighborhoods throughout the city to find and condemn wall paintings and murals, calling them illegal signs. The city plans to paint over all unapproved signs, including many intricate and well-loved murals. Many in the city are opposed to the move, claiming the city’s actions are an attack on the distinct cultural landmarks that help define many of the city’s ethnic enclaves. But despite protests from civic leaders, residents and artists, the city plans to move forward with its mural removal. Whether art or not, they say, illegal signs are still illegal.

And finally, the city of San Francisco has qualified a ballot initiative that would require half of the homes built as part of a major redevelopment project to be priced affordably. The ballot initiative is aimed at a 10,000-unit redevelopment project in the city’s Bayview-Hunters Point area and is being seen as a major win for affordable housing advocates. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that 5,000 of the proposed units would have to be priced for residents earning between 30 and 80 percent of the city’s median income if it is approved by voters in the June election. Lennar Corporation, the project’s developer, says this measure could kill the project outright. Lennar has proposed a watered down version of the initiative requiring only 25% affordable pricing, but backers of the 50% plan are pushing forward. And with the initiative now set to appear on the ballot, they’ve just got to convince the public to go along.

Stories discussed in this week's Planetizen News Brief

Bike Sharing Makes Test Run in D.C.

L.A. Erasing Murals

Affordable Housing May Be Required in San Francisco Redevelopment

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