Government / Politics
Buying Flood-Prone Houses an Expensive Proposition in Texas
Harris County has a home buyout program, designed to reduce the amount of residents living in flood-prone homes. But when it comes to home buyouts, a lot of money goes a little way.
Report Offers Guidance on 'Smart City' Investments
"The challenge of paying for smart cities projects" report by Deloitte recommends several steps for making the most of investments in "smart city" technology by city governments.
China Will Drive Electric Vehicle Market
Two new reports on the outlook of electric vehicles paint a bright future for the new technology. No country is more critical than China, where policies will force global auto companies to invest in clean technology if they want to have a future.
Keeping Old Coal Plants Operating Just Became a Matter of National Security
The president hopes to revitalize the nation's sagging coal industry by forcing utilities to purchase power from aging coal and nuclear power plants in the name of national defense. The news is already paying dividends for coal companies.
California to Invest $1 Billion in Electric Trucks, Buses, Charging Infrastructure
The investment comes not from the state legislature but from two regulatory bodies, the Air Resources Board and the Public Utilities Commission, authorizing the expenditure of VW settlement funds and utility ratepayer funds, respectively.
20 Finalists Announced in the 'Canada Smart Cities Challenge'
The winner of the Grand Prize for the Canada Smart Cities Challenge will receive $50 million CAD ($38.5 million USD).
Seattle Planning Director Pursues Equity Amid a Pro-Growth Agenda
An interview with Seattle Planning Director Sam Assefa for the latest installment of the "Planners Across America" series.
When 160 Mayors Talk About the State of the City
An annual report aggregates the State of the City speeches of mayors all over the country.
Prominent St. Louis Developer Accused of Fraud
The local developer is accused of inflating property values and defrauding a program meant to spur investment in distressed areas.
Editorial Exposes Bay Area Housing Hypocrisy
Cities can't have it both ways on the housing crisis, asserts an SF Chronicle editorial. Case in point: Berkeley passes a resolution to declare homelessness a state of emergency while opposing legislation to allow BART to develop its parking lots.
Where Republican Mayors Are Taking Leadership on Climate Change
(Even if they don't talk about it very much.)
Bad Break for Scooter Rental Company in its Hometown
Years before there was e-scooter-share, there was electric (Vespa-like) scooter-share in San Francisco by start-up Scoot. Now that they are ready to launch electric bikeshare, the city won't let them, unlike Barcelona, Spain where it began service.
The Nation’s Fastest Growing Town Needs More Water
Cheap water flows freely to the golf courses of St. George, Utah, but all the new residents mean it’s going to have to increase supply or reduce demand—or both.
Oregon's 86 Opportunity Zones Include 'High Rent' Districts in Portland
Oregon is the latest state to join the nascent federal program, which is designed to stimulate investment in distressed areas.
New Chapter in the San Francisco Scooter Wars: Removal
The city attorney vows to bring order to the streets (and sidewalks) of San Francisco by requiring electric scooter share companies to apply for permits. First step: all e-scooters must be removed by June 4, or risk a $100 fine per day per scooter.
Lago Approaches New York City as a 'City of Neighborhoods'
The latest installment of the "Planners Across America" series features New York City Planning Director and Planning Commission Chair Marisa Lago.
Pedestrians Not Allowed Within Three Feet of Cars in Dayton
The new law is billed as a pedestrian safety measure, which is just one of the problems with the law according to critics.
Raising the Meal Tax to Pay for Affordable Housing
Is anybody up for happy hour in Alexandria?
California Poll: Voters Likely to Repeal 12-Cents Gas Tax Increase in November
It's not looking good for transportation advocates who want to retain over $5 billion in annual transportation funding made possible the passage of a bill last year that enabled the first gas tax increase in California since 1994.
Mobility as a Symphony: Los Angeles Prepares for Transportation of the Future
LADOT is rehearsing now for the day it has to manage autonomous vehicles alongside delivery drones and air taxis.
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
