New York

The United Nations has appointed a special envoy to evaluate whether lack of access to affordable housing in New York is so bad it violates basic human rights.

Planning students from New York-area universities are being integrated into the city's community boards through an innovative new fellowship program.

NY MTA Head Jay Walder is considering lowering fares for off-peak hours riders in order to encourage people to change their habits.

Benches that dump you for sitting too long, trash cans that spit your recyclables back out- will the Sentient City lack empathy?

Developers and NYC's Mayor Bloomberg have hit a speed bump in revitalizing the Gowanus Canal. It may be designated as a Superfund site.

Cities along the Hudson River in New York are pushing plans to build more docks along the waterfront.

That's the slogan seen on t-shirts around Jane Jacobs beloved Greenwich Village, where some locals feel high-end chains are ruining the neighborhood.

Tara Lohan reviews David Owen's new book, Green Metropolis, which extols the ecological virtues of Manhattan. In her opinion, Owen doesn't ask the right questions and ignores some inconvenient facts.

This piece from Urban Omnibus looks at a collaborative effort in New York City to get immigrant populations better engaged in the city's public parks.

Vision 42 has proposed closing NYC's 42nd Street to car traffic and adding light rail along its length. The Mayor isn't interested, but lots of others are.

MillionTreesNYC says they're on track to reach their goal by 2017. Trees provide shade and allay problems of air pollution. They've planted hundreds of thousands of trees already... and received some complaints.

Despite the NYC Mayor's progress in preserving or creating affordable housing, overall the city has seen net losses.

With no subway to La Guardia Airport, travelers are forced to take a bumpy bus ride. The MTA is testing a slight change that could make the trip just a little more comfortable.

This interview with Adam Friedman of the New York Industrial Retention Network, illuminates reasons for retaining manufacturing in NYC, such as sustainability and job creation.

Cuts in MTA staff in subway stations leave transit riders lost, feeling unsafe. Vendors and repair staff are reluctantly picking up the slack.

Margaret Wente is surprised to learn from reading David Owen's Green Metropolis that her new city lifestyle is super-green, thanks to the advantages of density.

Time Magazine takes a look at the growing problem of vacant storefronts across the U.S., and what some intrepid souls are doing about it.

A 15-year-old ban on biking and walking to school in Saratoga Springs, New York may be lifted, after one bike-friendly parent challenged the policy.

The Municipal Art Society of New York talks with four young people who are actively involved in addressing the planning challenges facing their communities.

A new iPhone App/public art experience allows the user to take a stroll through New York City and 'see' visionary buildings that never got built, ranging from Buckminster Fuller's dome to Antoni Gaudi's cathedral.