Government / Politics
The California High-Speed Rail Authority's Board Took a 'Momentous' Step on Tuesday
The California High-Speed Rail Authority voted on December 13 to approve two plans that would spend $3.2 billion in high-speed rail bond funds for continuing construction in the Central Valley and help pay for Caltrain commuter rail electrification.
Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke Reportedly Tapped for Interior Secretary
Days earlier the presumed nominee was Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, a member of the GOP congressional leadership, but Zinke's interview with Don Trump Jr., the president's son, appears to have caused the change.
Trump Picks Energy Secretary Who Wanted to Eliminate Department
In an infamous 2011 Republican presidential primary debate, then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry stated he would abolish three federal agencies: Commerce, Education, and "Oops!" — he couldn't recall. That department, energy, he has now been selected to lead.
It's Not Just HUD
Though the HUD choice seems an odd, unqualified one, we should be looking beyond HUD however: Here's why Mnuchin at Treasury is even more worrisome.
California Water Plan Foretells Tension Between Cities, Farmers
Recognizing the ongoing drought's severity, Sacramento is set to adopt a new statewide conservation plan. But some say the regulations don't place enough pressure on California's agricultural sector.
Another Fossil-Fuel-Friendly Climate Skeptic Selected for Trump Cabinet
President-elect Donald Trump is reported to have selected Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican from Washington, for Secretary of the Department of Interior. Also, "Climate McCarthyism" emerges as a concern for federal employees.
Making Long-Term Planning and Democratic Politics Work Together
To the potential surprise of many planners in the United States, strategic planning and politics can work together to produce significant policy outcomes in democratically governed cities.
As Goes Vancouver, So Goes Seattle?
What does Vancouver’s housing market implosion mean for the Seattle area?
West Side Chicago Votes to Tax Itself to Fund Mental Health Services
After the city's government cut funding to mental health services, closing many of the city's clinics, residents of Chicago's West Side voted overwhelmingly to tax their properties to reverse that trend.
Inside the P3 that's Reinventing Long Beach
Several years ago, officials in Long Beach, California, found themselves in a pickle. They had an aging city hall in need of seismic retrofits (price tag: $194 million). Fast-forward to last July, when ground was broken on a $520 million project.
Trump Picks Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to Head EPA
The selection of Scott Pruitt, a climate change denier, who is suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, signals the incoming Trump Administration's antipathy for the environmental legacy of its predecessor.
Victory for Native Americans and Supporters at Standing Rock—for Now
The Army Corps of Engineers denied Energy Transfer Partners an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline under Lake Oahe, advising them to explore alternative routing and conduct an environmental review, granting indigenous peoples a rare victory.
What it Takes To Pass a Transportation Sales Tax Measure in California
Ventura County's transportation sales tax measure failed after receiving almost 57 percent of the vote, illustrating the difficulty in passing tax measures intended for transportation improvements in California.
What Will A Trump Presidency Mean for Fair Housing?
Rules protecting minorities' access to housing have been strengthened under the Obama administration. That progress could be lost under a HUD Secretary who opposes Fair Housing altogether.
What Mobility Leaders Think About Car Connectivity
As autonomous vehicles prepare to disrupt transportation systems, Ford Motors President & CEO Mark Fields, L.A Chief Sustainability Officer Matt Petersen, and rideshare company Chariot co-founder Ali Vahabzadeh opine on tomorrow's mobility ecosystem.
California Using Data To Maximize Water Conservation Efforts
Even as the Golden State has a wetter fall, California's water leaders have launched a new tool to leverage information technology and available information to support decisions around local water reliability.
The Trump Administration: Good for Transit?
The conventional progressive wisdom is that the Trump Administration will be bad for cities and for transit users. But in recent decades, a unified Republican government has been better for public transit than a divided government.
Why Bother with Community Engagement?
What is the highest purpose of community engagement? Why do some planners go all out to hear from the public? This article dives into these questions based on nine interviews conducted at APA 2016.
Prime Minister Trudeau Approves Huge Expansion of Oil Sands Pipeline
The young prime minister's approval to almost triple the capacity of the Kinder Morgan pipeline comes as a surprise given Trudeau's concern for climate change. He approved another Alberta oil sands pipeline but rejected a third.
Mapping Los Angeles' Underutilized City-Owned Property
New data shows that the city of Los Angeles owns nearly 9,000 parcels throughout the region—and that it could be doing a lot more with them.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
