Government / Politics
How to Make NIMBYs Part of the Solution
A look at how to program social equity into the planning process, and balance NIMBY concerns with collective goals, by Howard Blackson, leader of AVRP SkyPort Studios Urban Design practice in San Diego.
California's 15 Housing Bills Won't Do Enough
At a new affordable housing project in a low-income neighborhood of San Francisco, Gov. Brown signed the package Friday that places a $4 billion housing bond on the ballot next year, adds a $75 real estate transaction fee, and streamlines permitting.
California Mulls Banning Sales of Cars with Internal Combustion Engines
Eying European and Asian countries that have set, or are considering timelines to ban sales of cars that emit greenhouse gases, the California governor asked his chief air regulator to see why California couldn't follow suit.
Major Changes Coming to British Columbia's Carbon Tax
The government of British Columbia, put in power this year with the help of the BC Green Party, is shoring up its climate change action resume.
High Speed Rail Transforming California's Housing, TOD Conversation
The California Legislature took steps to address the state's housing crisis this year, but housing activists might look to the Governor's High Speed Rail project to provide a link to affordable housing in the Central Valley.
Maryland's $9 Billion Project Would Be the Nation's Largest P3 for Highways
Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.) announced last week plans for the largest highway contract awarded to a public-private partnership: adding four express toll lanes to the Capital Beltway and I-270. A third highway widening will be completed internally.
Pittsburgh City Council Mulls Options for Affordable Housing Funding
Deciding to create an affordable housing trust fund is one thing, deciding how to fund it is another.
30 Years Later—The Montreal Protocol as Essential as Ever
At least this story is about what might have been if we hadn't passed environmental regulations, instead of what will happen if we don't.
States Sue Trump Administration Over Suspended Clean Transportation Rule
A coalition of government bodies from eight states around the country has sued the Trump Administration, claiming that the U.S. DOT unlawfully suspended an emissions accounting rule.
Miami Beach: A Model of Climate Adaptation for Coastal Cities?
How did the seven square mile, four-foot high barrier island in the Atlantic Ocean off Miami and Biscayne Bay hold-up to Hurricane Irma? The city arguably has done more to adapt to sea level rise in recent times than any other coastal city.
D.C. Auditor Reveals Blight Enforcement Shortcomings
There's a surprising amount of vacancies and blight in the nation's capital, and District officials aren't doing everything in their power to address the challenge.
Carson Op-Ed Lays Out the Trump Agenda for HUD
Ben Carson has penned an op-ed that lays out the ideology driving the Trump Administration's approach to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Buskers Welcome at Select Sound Transit Stations
A popular program to allow street performers (aka, buskers) into station areas on the Seattle region's Sound Transit system has been expanded.
House Bill Would Add Red Tape to Americans With Disabilities Act Protections
An underreported bill in the current congressional session would create a waiting period for Americans with Disabilities Act claims.
Amazon's Second HQ Poised for Smart Growth
Amazon's second headquarters is huge, and their bias for walkable places says they are going to do it all over again in a new city. However, maybe they should take the high road and not beg for subsidies.
Three Transportation Ballot Measures Could Be Headed to Bay Area Voters Next Year
The California Legislature approved bills to allow voters to decide on hiking sales taxes and tolls for regional transportation. Gov. Jerry Brown already signed a bill to allow San Mateo County voters to hike sales taxes for transportation.
Funding for Electric Vehicle Rebates Approved in California
On the final day of the legislative session, the California Legislature approved a budget bill that directs $1.5 billion in carbon auction revenues. A prior post described a bill that would have quadrupled state EV rebates: but it died.
Sustainable for Whom? Large-Scale Urban Development Projects and 'Environmental Gentrification'
Large, adaptive-reuse projects are all the rage in urban planning today, but absent a fundamentally new approach—with affordability at the center of the process—they are likely to become engines of what's been termed "environmental gentrification."
How the National Flood Insurance Program Sabotaged Itself
Having charged low rates during years of bumper development, the National Flood Insurance Program worked at cross-purposes with itself while development continued on.
Critical Housing Bills Pass California Legislature on Final Day
The California legislature ended its season on Friday, handing Gov. Jerry Brown a third major victory. After passing landmark legislation earlier in transportation and climate change, a slate of controversial housing bills await his signature.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
