<p>A primer on how the economics of housing have been the foundation of not just urban planning but the whole American economy since the 1930s, and why the current housing crisis could have such a far-reaching impact.</p>
<p>Naomi Klein believes that HUD's demolition of public housing in New Orleans isn't just about responding to flood damage: it's a classic example of what she calls "The Shock Doctrine" -- using disasters to restructure and privatize whole economies.</p>
<p>U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D) argues that the war in Iraq is diverting billions of dollars that are badly needed to shore up America's crumbling infrastructure.</p>
<p>National Geographic launches a new green cities blog called The Ecopolitan, written by Jay Walljasper, Senior Fellow of the Project for Public Spaces, and Executive Editor of Ode magazine.</p>
