With the first game of the 2010 World Cup exactly two years away, many in host country South Africa are concerned about rising inflation, increased violence, and skyrocketing costs of stadium construction.
"Organising committee chief executive officer Danny Jordaan told Reuters he expected the final cost for the construction and renovation of 10 venues for the finals to finish well above the current budget of 9.8 billion rand ($1.24 billion)."
"'It will probably be over 10 billion rand,' Jordaan said, adding that the financing of the venues remained a challenge."
"'We are dealing with now with final costs of the stadiums, which are soaring as a result of the downturn in the world economy and rising fuel prices,' he said."
"South African inflation hit a 5-1/2 year high of 10.4 percent in April. Rising fuel prices and likely electricity price hikes to address a dire power crisis mean it could go higher."
"Jordaan said recent attacks on African immigrants, accused by poor South Africans of taking jobs and fuelling a crime wave, also had a potentially negative impact on the tournament. At least 62 people were killed and nearly 100,000 displaced."
FULL STORY: S.Africa braced for soaring construction costs

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan
The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)