Government / Politics
Proposed D.C. Council Legislation Would Bar Landlords From Sharply Raising Rents
The bills seek to end landlords' ability to offer rent discounts and then calculate increases based on the original price, rather than on what a tenant was actually paying.
Minnesota Grants May Bolster Urban Farming's Legitimacy
For the first time, the state of Minnesota is offering money specifically for urban agriculture, in a win for urban farmers who want to challenge the notion that agriculture is necessarily a rural enterprise.
New Research Shows Toronto Highly Segregated Along Race and Class Lines
A closer look at the numbers reveals stark divides among Toronto neighborhoods.
Bond Measure Seeks to Remedy Austin's Affordable Housing Woes
A bond referendum on the November ballot would help Austin increase its supply of affordable housing.
Federal Policy Would Keep Chinese Railcars Out of the U.S.
Proposed restrictions on federal spending for transit railcars center on concerns about market competition and national security.
Carbon Taxes and Climate Change Are Focus of Nobel Prize for Economics
The Nobel Prize was issued the same day as a landmark report by the IPCC predicting dire consequences if emissions aren't reduced. That's what William D. Nordhaus of Yale University has devoted his career to addressing.
Boston to Consider Workforce and Investor Diversity in Real Estate Decisions
Beginning this week, the city of Boston will ask developers how they plan to include women and minorities as workers and investors when putting city-owned real estate out for bid.
To Incentivize Clean Energy, California Commits $800 Million
Recently signed by Governor Jerry Brown, a new measure has increased the funds California sets aside to incentivize energy storage systems to over $1 billion.
Fate of Brooklyn Heights Promenade Tethered to BQE Repair
The Brooklyn Heights Promenade will be closed as the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway below it is replaced. A Brownstoner column celebrates the esplanade's 68th birthday on Oct. 7, noting its troubled past and connection to Robert Moses.
No Consensus on How to Address Declining D.C. Metro Ridership
A decrease in ridership is not disputed. However, ideas about the best solutions for turning things around abound.
California Doubles Carbon Intensity Reduction Requirement for Transportation Fuels
California regulators have found that transportation emissions are the most difficult to reduce, unlike those from electricity generation. The state just took a major step by approving significant changes to its Low Carbon Fuel Standard program.
Proposed California Ballot Measure From Gas Tax Opposition Goes After High-Speed Rail
A follow-up initiative to Proposition 6 would put the brakes on high-speed rail in California and funnel gas tax funds to roads.
City's Opposition to BART TOD Bill Factors into City Manager's Retirement
Steven Falk, city manager for 22 years of the East Bay enclave of Lafayette, expressed frustration with the city's resistance to infill development, calling it incompatible with addressing "the most significant challenges of our time."
California's Housing Package, One Year Later
It's too early to gauge the long-term effects of California's housing package signed a year ago. But with a $4 billion bond on the ballot this November, some facts (and some dramas) have already made themselves known.
Op-Ed: Portland Should Fully Commit to Earthquake Preparedness
An editorial calls for Portland, Oregon to approve a requirement that warning signs be placed on unreinforced historic buildings. An argument is made for further measures, and a greater sense of urgency.
Seattle to Use Surplus Public Land for Affordable Housing
New municipal and state laws have made it possible for Seattle to sell excess land to affordable housing developers at below-market rates, or even to give it away.
Washington Says Seven-Degree Increase Is Coming, Doesn’t Outline Solutions
A federal evaluation of fuel-efficiency standards says that while drastic climate change is imminent, there is little reason to do anything about it.
Community-Based Planning: A Case Study
When neighborhoods are allowed to plan and zone without considering the regionwide interest in increasing housing stock, scarcity results.
More Diesel Driving Bans Coming to German Cities
Germany's automotive industry and Chancellor Angela Merkel are increasingly worried about the economic effects of court-sanctioned diesel driving bans to improve air quality, as enacted in Hamburg last May. Four more cities are likely to enact bans.
Two Sides of the California Rent Control Debate, in Silicon Valley and Beyond
In California, rent control continues to be a hotly contested issue at both the local and state levels.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
