Government / Politics
Detroit Reveals the Possibilities and Pitfalls of a New Era of Governance
America's fundamental levels of governance are changing, writes Anna Clark in Next American City, who uses examples from Detroit and Cleveland to ascertain what the stakes are when cities cede public sector work to third parties.
Radical Cartography Produces Unlikely Maps and Design Partnerships
Lillian Mathews describes "radical cartography," a movement to highlight, not hide, the process and politics associated with map-making decisions.
Legal Obstacles For CA's HSR Clear Up....Slightly
With $8 billion almost in hand (the $4.5 billion in state bonds still need to be sold), the most formidable immediate hurdles are dealing with five lawsuits facing the High Speed Rail Authority. Mike Rosenberg reports that progress has been made.
Advice to Cities Considering Bankruptcy: 'Don't Do It'
As the third California city in a month files for bankruptcy protection, fears of a domino effect worry many. While bankruptcy may seem like an enticing solution, officials that have gone through it caution about the downside.
Slow Progress on America's High-Speed Rail Efforts
Milton Lindsay examines America's efforts to build a national system of high-speed trains and finds mixed results in the nation's eleven intended corridors.
Billboards on Versailles, the Colosseum, or Venice Canals?
As the European financial crisis drags on, money for the continent's numerous architectural and historical resources remains limited. As a result, cities are looking for new revenue streams, including billboards and image rights.
Bridging the Gap: Freeway Caps Proposed in Smaller Cities
As plans progress in many large cities to cap their below-grade urban freeways, smaller cities, like Ventura, California, are looking to benefit from similar proposals.
Why Your City Should Be Paying Attention to England's Latest Banking Scandal
Have you been following the recent Libor banking scandal with detached bewilderment? Well, your public officials should probably be paying close attention, because there's a chance it may have had a substantial impact on your city's finances.
Brooklyn’s Great Gentrification Divide
Joseph Berger examines how gentrification in certain Brooklyn neighborhoods has revealed a conflict of values among residents.
Community Collaboration Gains Momentum in the UK
Following on historic new powers granted recently to cities across England, RIBA and ResPublica have published a new paper arguing for greater collaboration with local communities in neighborhood planning, writes Irina Vinnitskaya.
Diving into the Details: Map-21 and Alternative Transportation
Continuing his series examining the changes and new provisions detailed in the new federal surface transportation bill, Jason Jordan, APA's Director of Policy and Government Affairs, looks at the new Transportation Alternatives program.
Who's Behind the Anti-Agenda 21 Firestorm?
Lloyd Alter investigates the individuals and organizations "manufacturing" the anti-Agenda 21 campaign, and argues that "Big Oil" is helping to bankroll anti-sustainability efforts.
Can Suburbia Serve the Poor?
An editorial in The New York Times looks at the dramatic growth of poverty in America's suburbs over the last decade, and asks if the government safety net is up to the challenge.
Canadian Planners at a Crossroads
As several major Canadian cities seek to hire new chief urban planners, candidates are facing an emerging set of demographic and political challenges, while some question the role such officials should have in shaping the country's landscape.
'Bi-Partisan' Transportation Bill Now Law
President Obama signed the transportation bill known as MAP-21 on July 6 that also maintains low student loan rates, ending the three-year process of three-month extensions of SAFETEA-LU. He praised the bill as bipartisan and job-saving.
Nail-biter Vote In CA: State Senate Approves High Speed Rail
Without a vote to spare, the CA state senate voted to authorize $5.8 billion to begin construction in the Central Valley of the nation's first true HSR system. The assembly passed the bill earlier in the week.
The Ugly Story Behind the New Transportation Bill
Willamette Week interviews U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon about the shenanigans going on behind-the-scenes of the newly-approved Transportation Bill.
English Cities Gain Historic New Powers
In what Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg calls a "dramatic power shift", England's largest cities have gained new powers to control their economies and transportation, reports Sam Lister.
The British Columbia 'Tax Swap'
An environmental economist and a law professor pronounces the increased carbon tax in British Columbia "the smartest tax in the world" and advise the U.S. to get onboard.
Public Sector Stops Firing, and Starts Hiring
According to new data, state and local governments hired 828,000 workers in the first four months of the year, "up 20% from a year earlier, and the most since 2008," stoking hopes that government job growth may be on the way.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
