Government / Politics

San Bernardino Skyline

One Developer's Idea for Regional Housing Solutions in Southern California

New housing development is off to a slow start in Los Angeles in 2017. Although the city defeated an anti-growth ballot measure, LA is still faced with a number of policy and legal challenges to building an adequate supply of affordable housing.

July 5, 2017 - The Planning Report

Palm Springs

U.S. Conference of Mayors Sets Target for 100 Percent Renewable Energy

The Annual Meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors wrapped up in Miami Beach earlier this week, culminating with a display of climate change solidarity.

July 4, 2017 - CleanTechnica

YIMBYs

Planning's New Rivalry: Housing Advocates vs. Radical Left

As the YIMBY movement has gained momentum in high-cost cities, advocates for social justice and subsidized housing have taken aim, claiming that YIMBY's pro-development stance aligns them with predatory capitalism and neoliberalism.

July 3, 2017 - California Planning & Development Report

Protest Crowd

L.A. Metro CEO Challenges Trump on Infrastructure Funding

President Trump’s most recent transportation budget is projected to cut transportation spending by 13 percent, potentially undercutting many of Los Angeles' ambitious projects to continue the build-out of a full public transportation system.

July 3, 2017 - The Planning Report

West Virginia Becomes the Seventh State to Hike Gas Taxes, But Not by Much

Democratic Gov. Jim Justice signed legislation to increase its 32.2 cent state gas tax by about 3.5 cents per gallon and add substantial hybrid and EV fees. He also signed legislation to increase and expand road and bridge tolling.

July 2, 2017 - The Herald-Dispatch

Climate Change protest

Three Questions to Ask Yourself About Climate Action

Looking for ways to make a difference in advocating for climate friendly policies? Start with three simple questions.

July 1, 2017 - TheCityFix

Steptoe Butte State Park

Trump Budget Would Cut PILT Funding to Rural Communities

Sparsely-populated rural counties with large amounts of public land stand to lose the most if the Trump Administration succeeds in cutting funding to the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program.

June 30, 2017 - KPCC

405 Traffic

Lowest Gas Prices in 12 Years Contribute to Record Travel This Holiday Weekend

Two new reports on transportation funding issued in advance of the July 4th weekend focus attention on gas prices and vehicle travel. Seven states will increase gas taxes on July 1 according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

June 30, 2017 - Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

Seattle

Seattle Tackling Equity Challenges With Global Lens

Seattle is faced with an affordable housing crisis that has led the new Planning & Community Development Director Sam Assefa to look globally for solutions.

June 30, 2017 - The Planning Report

Capitol Hill

Do Members of Congress Need a Housing Stipend?

The cost of living in Washington, D.C. might make it difficult for less wealthy members of Congress to pay rent or mortgages in their home state and the seat of power. Thus, a surprising voice has suggested housing assistance for Congress.

June 29, 2017 - The Hill

Freeway Construction

Public-Private Partnerships: Cost-Effective or Cash Cow?

Public-private partnerships between local governments and private contractors have the Trump Administration's favor. But in a "P3 market in its infancy," can they cut costs or simply line pockets?

June 27, 2017 - The New York Times

Supreme Court

A Church Playground Controversy Grew Into a Supreme Court Decision

A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court this week could reframe the separation of church and state, especially with regard to the flow of public funding and aid programs.

June 27, 2017 - The Atlantic

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Announces $200 Million 'American Cities Initiative'

The former mayor of New York is launching the "American Cities Initiative." The initiative comes with a scathing critique of the federal government's treatment of urban areas.

June 26, 2017 - New York Times

Caltrain

Three Bay Area Counties May Decide Whether to Support Caltrain with Sales Tax Measure

The oldest commuter rail line west of the Mississippi is also unique in another way—it lacks a dedicated source of operating revenue. Legislation has been introduced to allow Peninsula counties to vote to increase sales taxes by 0.125 percent.

June 26, 2017 - The Daily Journal

No Luxury Condos

The State of Affordable Housing

An in-depth feature in Architect magazine surveys the affordable housing landscape and finds architects, planners, and developers trying to find a better way through an inefficient system.

June 26, 2017 - Architect

Prop. 13 Will Blunt the Property Tax Windfall as Boomers Transfer Property to Millennials

The benefits of Prop 13's limit on property taxes will pass from generation to generation in California, at the expense of state and local coffers.

June 25, 2017 - California Legislative Analyst's Office

Sacramento

Business Owners Vote to Fund Sacramento Streetcar Operations

The two-thirds threshold proved to be no obstacle for Sacramento streetcar proponents in a special election held June 21, when at least *250 businesses owners voted to tax themselves to fund operations of the proposed streetcar.

June 24, 2017 - The Sacramento Bee

Anchorage, Alaska

Will Alaska Return Millions of Dollars for Bike and Pedestrian Projects to the Feds, Again?

Last year, Alaska returned $2.6 million of its 2013 Transportation Alternatives Program funding to the U.S. Department of Transportation due to a shortage of eligible projects to fund, despite having four years to obligate the grant money.

June 23, 2017 - Alaska Public Media

Dash Point State Park

A Concerning Lack of Tribal Participation in Tacoma Tidelands Planning

The editors of the Tacoma Weekly speculate that someday governments might uphold their agreements. They don't expect the Tacoma Tideland sub area plan to be one of those times.

June 22, 2017 - Tacoma Weekly

Vancouver Skyline Bikes

Overcoming Density Opponents by Listening to Them

Urbanist Brent Toderian does not begrudge NIMBYs; he values them. In an interview with David Roberts of Vox, he explains that the problem doesn't lie with development opponents as much as it does with the decision-makers.

June 21, 2017 - Vox

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.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA

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.