Government / Politics

Metro Map

L.A. Wants to Be the Epicenter of New Transportation Technology

Gabe Klein of CityFi outlines how Los Angeles is planning on implementing the Urban Mobility in a Digital Age report.

July 3, 2018 - The Planning Report

Homeless

$2 Billion Bond Measure on California Ballot to House the Mentally Ill Homeless

The revenue bonds would be funded from a millionaires' surtax, approved by voters in 2004, to pay for health programs, but not housing, for the mentally ill. Also on ballot: a $4 billion general obligation bond measure to fund housing for veterans.

July 2, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Downtown Nashville Bus

Koch Brothers Behind Local Transit Losses Nationwide

Public transit is increasingly a target of the Koch brothers' crusade against big government.

July 2, 2018 - New York Times

Supreme Court of the United States

The New Supreme Court and the Future of Fair Housing

The retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy introduces the possibility that a future court will overturn the doctrine of disparate impact central to fair housing practices and policies.

July 2, 2018 - CityLab

Solar Residential

Georgia's Conservative Path to a Solar Power Boom

Georgia politics haven't usually been friendly to renewable energy. But some unlikely alliances, and a healthy dose of economics, can go a long way.

June 30, 2018 - Inside Climate News

Breaking Up Stockbridge; Georgia Looks to Make a New, Richer Suburb

Vikki Consiglio wants to create “high-end” town, leaving debt and poorer residents behind.

June 30, 2018 - Bloomberg Business

London Ride Hailing

Uber Gets its License Back, Still on Probation, in London

London gave Uber a more than a slap on the wrist for the company's lack of concern about public safety. Uber demonstrated sufficient contrition to get back in the large, influential city's good graces.

June 29, 2018 - BBC News

Google Headquarters

Google Tax to Appear on November Ballot in Mountain View, California

If a majority of the city's voters approve the city-sponsored ballot measure, business license fees will change from a flat $30 annual fee to a new tax based on the number of employees, with the largest employer, Google, to pay $3.3 million.

June 29, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

San Diego, California

San Diego Not Even Close to Meeting Permanent Housing Goals for Homeless

The city’s new $6.5 million "bridge shelters" are providing a place to stay, but not accomplishing what they set out to do.

June 28, 2018 - San Diego Union-Tribune

pallets of green oil barrels stacked

Big Oil Wins Climate Change Lawsuits

The courts are no place to be deciding on the contribution of fossil fuels to climate change, ruled a Northern California federal district court judge in a "stinging defeat" to San Francisco and Oakland that wanted Big Oil to pay mitigation costs.

June 28, 2018 - The New York Times

Digital Highway Sign

More States Hoping to Monetize Highways

The commercialization of highway rights of way is largely prohibited by federal regulations, but states are looking for new ways to generate revenue from billboards and rest stops.

June 28, 2018 - Governing

Low Gas Prices

California Gas Tax Repeal Initiative Qualifies for November Ballot

The initiative is much more than whether to repeal taxes and fees enacted by the passage of the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 which brings in over $5 billion a year. The measure is a means to increase GOP turnout to retain House seats.

June 27, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Goose Island Chicago

After Scrutiny Regarding Affordable Housing Policy, Emanuel Proposes New Chicago Department of Housing

Chicago's current housing policies aren't protecting or producing affordable housing in gentrifying areas, so Mayor Rahm Emanuel is proposing a restructuring of the government. Advocates are skeptical of the idea.

June 26, 2018 - Chicago Tribune

Expo Line LA Skyline

LA Times: City Council Should Take Responsibility for Lack of Transit Oriented Development

The Los Angeles Times editorial board has strong words for the Los Angeles City Council about planning for transit oriented development.

June 26, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Policing is an Information Business

The NYPD vaunts crime mapping technologies from CompStat maps to a vast networked surveillance infrastructure. Who benefits?

June 26, 2018 - Urban Omnibus

Fracking

Oil and Gas Industry Lobbyists Promote Carbon Tax

A political action committee representing the energy industry, including fossil fuels, has been formed by two former U.S. senators, a Republican and Democrat, to advance a carbon fee-and-dividend plan on Capitol Hill.

June 26, 2018 - Vox

Demographics map

Three Ways to Make GIS as Powerful as Possible

These days, cities are expected to make the most of open data and spatial visualization technologies.

June 25, 2018 - Smart Cities Dive

Florida

Massive Waterfront Investment 'Reinvents' Tampa

After decades of planning, the city hopes several huge developments will draw millenials and empty-nesters.

June 25, 2018 - Curbed

Scooter Share

Scooter War Now a Scooter Competition

Three scooter companies, Lime, Bird and Spin, removed their scooters from the sidewalks of San Francisco earlier this month and applied, with nine other companies, for five permits to operate up to 2,500 scooters in a tightly regulated pilot program.

June 25, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Transportation Network Company

Should Ride-Hailing Vehicles Reduce Emissions?

Driving an electric ride-hailing vehicle may be good for the planet but costly for the driver who may have to limit the distance of rides and search for fast-chargers. Uber is trying to help out.

June 22, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.