Government / Politics
New HUD guidelines call for nixing green building requirements
The newly released 'best practices' advise local governments to streamline permitting processes, cap permitting fees and encourage by-right development of single-family homes.
Making economic sense of city-owned grocery stores
Several cities are moving to create municipal stores, but do they actually save low-income households money?
Ten extraordinary women making cities work better for everyone
A new book profiles women leaders shaping the future of modern cities. These are some of their stories.
Chicago parking meters are for sale once again
Chicago's 75-year lease of its parking meters to an LLC puts revenue decisions in the hands of private investors.
Redistricting threatens Louisiana’s Black representation in Congress
As the Louisiana Legislature advances election maps that would pull apart New Orleans' minority-majority district, leaders urge action.
Bogota's next big urban innovation: Equity for working women
The city that brought BRT and Ciclovía to the world is at the forefront of a new revolution.
China suspends new AV licenses after 'major chaos'
A malfunction of Baidu autonomous vehicles prompted the Chinese government to stop issuing new licenses to AV operators. Could the U.S. learn from their actions?
Maine county rescinded $240k in affordable housing funds after town proposed using it for data center
Lincoln County pulled the funding from the town of Wicasset, saying it was only meant to be used for housing projects.
Hartford launches program that uses housing vouchers to facilitate homeownership
The Connecticut capital will allow voucher recipients to use their vouchers toward home payments as a way to build long-term wealth.
This Mexican city went paperless — and permitting times dropped by 84%
Guadalajara created an online permitting system that dramatically cut permitting times and bribe solicitations. Now, the entire state of Jalisco is using it.
Can revolving loan funds revolutionize housing financing?
Revolving loan funds offer governments a way to support increased housing production with a one-time investment.
Judge saves DC bike lanes
A federal judge ordered the Federal Highway Administration to stop a planned removal of bike lanes, saying the government provided no evidence that they would have a negative impact on traffic or safety.
DOT withholds $73M from New York over immigrant trucking licenses
The Trump administration is requiring states to revoke the CDLs of non-domiciled drivers without proof of citizenship or risk losing federal funds.
Salt Lake City weighs ban on sleeping in cars
A proposed city ordinance would restrict people from sleeping in vehicles on public property.
Federal cuts to voucher program put 9,000 New Yorkers at risk of homelessness
The Emergency Housing Voucher program is ending years ahead of schedule, forcing housing agencies to find new ways to support roughly 70,000 households nationwide.
Five reasons infrastructure costs are spiking
State DOTs face a $86 billion shortfall over the next 10 years.
San Diego budget axes multimodal team at DOT
The budget scales back funding for some bike lane and traffic safety projects that are already in the works.
Seattle mayor pledges to build 500 shelter units by June
The Seattle Times editorial board expresses cautious optimism about the mayor's ambitious supportive housing plan.
San Antonio sets new rules for immigration detention facilities
The city revised its zoning code to add new restrictions for private detention centers, but the ordinance won't apply to federally operated facilities.
Trump budget slashes passenger rail funding by 82%
The White House's proposed FY2027 budget makes drastic cuts to public transit and eliminates high-speed rail funding altogether.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
planning NEXT
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
