Government / Politics
Making Regulatory Reform Work in Seattle
Although Seattle's downtown redevelopment may be receiving plaudits, Chuck Wolfe describes efforts underway to rethink land use regulations on a broader level in the city, with jobs in mind.
House Transportation Extension Pulled As Deadline Nears
Late yesterday House Republicans withdrew plans to hold a vote on a proposed 90-day transportation bill extension, dragging Congress closer towards gridlock as the March 31st deadline nears, reports Todd Zwillich.
Are Liberals and Conservatives Fighting Each Other's Land Use Battles?
In his book, The Rent Is Too Damn High, Matthew Yglesias encourages us to reexamine our assumptions about which urban policies our values really support.
A Deadlocked Washington Leaves Export-Oriented Growth Up To Cities
Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institute explains the importance of exports to a metro region's economy. As the US Federal Government remains politically frozen, how can American cities grow economically by fostering trade partnerships across the world?
Ford's Subway Scheme Stopped Dead In Its Tracks
Yesterday was a bad day for Toronto mayor Rob Ford as his quest to see a proposed streetcar for Sheppard Avenue East replaced with a subway to to Scarborough was dashed by the City Council. Kelly Grant has the details.
Hitting The Sweet Spot In Regional Planning
The Sacramento, California, region may be witnessing a minor planning miracle: a regional sustainability plan lauded by developers, environmentalists, and civic officials alike.
Seeking Visions for the Future of Design and Planning in NYC
Looking back on the remarkable transformation of urban life in New York during Mayor Bloomberg's administration, William Menking wonders what the next mayor will do to support design and planning in the city.
Cities Reach Out to Private Sector to Solve Fiscal Challenges
Kirk Victor examines the new and risky roads many cities are taking to get immediate access to capital in order to finance their fiscal challenges.
Poverty Soars in the Suburbs
Lisa McGirr looks at the growing challenge of suburban poverty, which in the last decade has climbed by 25 percent (almost five times faster than cities), and the larger trends that it signifies.
Santorum Picks a Fight with Urban America
Sarah Wheaton and Richard A. Oppel Jr. report on a new line of attack against the urban favoring economic policies of his own party, being utilized by Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum in an effort to motivate his followers.
City Hacking Goes Mainstream
Within the last six months, two forward thinking American cities have created new positions for Chief Innovation Officers, with a mission to connect city hall with a new generation of problem-solvers outside of it, reports Emily Badger.
A Wrap Up and Look Ahead on Transportation Reauthorization
Yonah Freemark has authored a comprehensive examination of the policy and process behind the Senate transportation bill passed on Wednesday. But will it come to anything?
Detroit Drifts Towards Budget Armageddon
As the city runs out of cash, Detroit leaders are balking at a restructuring deal proposed by state officials to establish a joint advisory board to address the city’s financial troubles without a state-appointed emergency manager.
Senate Transportation Bill Finally Passes
Enjoying bipartisan support, the Senate's two-year, $109 billion transportation and infrastructure bill was approved by a comfortable 74-22 vote margin this afternoon, reports Jonathan Weisman.
Hard Lessons Learned in a Push to Privatize Parking
In the frenzied hunt for new revenue streams, municipal authorities are getting creative in capitalizing on their assets. Nate Berg follows the example of Sacramento, who is considering privatizing its parking meters to pay for a new sports arena.
Maximizing the Economic Potential of American Cities
Inspired by three books published in the last year that help to elucidate the role of cities and density in making people and countries richer, Ezra Klein compiles some lessons for economic development in the United States.
Do Municipal Climate Plans Do Any Good?
With more than 600 cities in the U.S. developing or having enacted formal climate plans, Nate Berg investigates disconcerting new findings that show a lack of any causal connection between greenhouse gas reductions and climate action plans.
Getting To $2.50 Gasoline - A Marketplace Final Report
In this second and final look at how to achieve Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's promise of $2.50 gas, Marketplace's Kai Ryssdal reports on a subsidy strategy discussed in The Atlantic. Earlier he presented a price controls approach.
Senate Poised to Pass Transportation Bill
Jason Jordan reports on the good news from Capitol Hill, as the Senate has agreed on a path forward to end the amendment process and pass its 2-year, $109 billion surface transportation authorization bill next week.
Making Sure Design Doesn't Get Left Behind in Chicago's Infrastructure Push
Blair Kamin argues for the need for new Mayor Rahm Emanuel to carry on the enlightened relationship with design established by his predecessor, former Mayor Richard M. Daley, especially in light of recently announced initiatives.
Pagination
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.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association