Urban runoff and contaminated water are creating major ecological damage, even in the United States. One design competition has the goal of rethinking how we handle this crucial resource.
This post from Metropolis looks at the complex relationship between cities and water cleanliness, and looks to a different future through a design competition.
"Our water infrastructure, flawed at the best of times, is now on the brink of collapse. The United States alone is faced with spending $330 billion dollars over the next two decades, simply to keep our existing tap water systems functioning.
Now is the perfect moment to ask ourselves if there isn't a better way to manage our water systems.
Is it possible to completely redefine our relationship with water? To satisfy our thirst without compromising our aquifers or harming our marine life? To eradicate water-borne diseases using ecologically sound processes? To craft solutions capable of addressing water crises in developed and developing countries alike?"
FULL STORY: Water and the Living City

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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Planning for Universal Design
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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
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont