Government / Politics

The argument that increased supply of urban housing will lower prices is rapidly being disproved by successive waves of gentrification throughout American cities. Stephen Smith offers a considered analysis of the economics behind this dynamic.

September 29, 2011 - Forbes

The UN released new demographic projections Thursday that forecast India's urban population will more than double in the next thirty years. UN Under Secretary General Joan Clos said there is an urgent need to discuss urban issues in response.

September 29, 2011 - India Current Affairs

The city of Austin has released a new 197 page planning document to manage its population growth and inform planning decisions for the next three decades.

September 29, 2011 - American Statesman

Brown's main reason for signing the bills: "Too Damn Many Regulations". One gives environmental clearance for the AEG stadium in downtown LA, and the other other accelerates environmental review for projects costing at least $100 million.

September 29, 2011 - Capital Public Radio

A study by the National League of Cities says how the economic recession has finally started to hit cities as property- and income-tax have decreased. Cities are balancing their budgets through layoffs, canceled construction projects or raised fees.

September 28, 2011 - Associated Press

Amid the backdrop of Mahmoud Abbas' application for Palestinian statehood, Jesse Fox critiques the Israeli premier for his antiquated plan to fast track sprawling suburban developments into Israel's rapidly diminishing open spaces.

September 28, 2011 - Sustainable City blog

Chicago aldermen are toying with just that idea, which would involve a one-percent income tax on those who work but don't live in the city. Hal Dardick reports on the discussion.

September 28, 2011 - Chicago Tribune

With no advance warning, residents of the large city of Chaohu were told on August 22nd that their city no longer existed. The city's land and people are now divided into 3 and incorporated into other nearby cities.

September 26, 2011 - NPR

Once again, a government shutdown looms after Sept. 30 over funding for disaster relief. House Republicans insist that the additional spending must be off-set with spending cuts, and their target is a subsidy for electric cars and batteries.

September 26, 2011 - National Public Radio

Officials and planners from across Georgia came out to answer any questions the public may have about a new regional transportation plan. Evidently the plan has "100 percent support," joked one official, because no one showed up.

September 25, 2011 - The Daily Citizen (Dalton)

Since Wednesday, Chinese farmers have been protesting the sale of over 800 acres of farmland to developers. The scene, writes Andrew Jacobs, is not entirely uncommon lately as concerns over environmental justice build.

September 24, 2011 - New York Times

Texas is getting dryer and dryer--and the costs to implement water delivery projects only go up as localities and regions scramble to secure the bulk of the funds necessary to build them. Ramit Plushnick-Masti reports.

September 24, 2011 - NPR

It's only $100 million - the President wants $8 billion - but it acts as a 'placeholder'. In any case, 4 Senators: Feinstein (CA), Durbin (IL), Lautenberg (NJ) and Landrieu (LA), all Dems', restored the funding after the sub-committee zeroed it.

September 23, 2011 - Steetsblog Capitol Hill

The Mayors of West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Culver City, and the Vice Mayor of Beverly Hills discuss local redevelopment and planning in the face of state intervention. The conversation centers on politics, projects, transportation, and parking.

September 23, 2011 - The Planning Report

One out of every two Latino's live in the nation's top 25 most ozone-polluted cities according to a new report. KQED's California Report interviews one of the co-authors, the Director of Latino Outreach for NRDC, in this radio report.

September 23, 2011 - The California Report

Peter Sigrist takes us through three other tools for open sourced, democratic governance processes conducive to mobilization, collaboration, and funding--each integral for the crowdsourced city.

September 23, 2011 - POLIS

A key Senate subcommittee has appeared to have eliminated funding for high speed rail while preserving funding for Amtrak, highway, and transit. However, the full committee may not adopt these mark-ups. And then there are the changes the House makes.

September 22, 2011 - Steetsblog Capitol Hill

Researchers found in their analysis of 300 California municipalities that the cities that had slow growth or anti-growth policies were less impacted by the housing crisis, writes Mark Bergen for Forbes.

September 21, 2011 - Forbes

Some say that there is simply not enough retail in existence now; versus U.S. cities, at least, Toronto has fewer malls in both numbers and square footage. Dana Flavelle explores why that might not necessarily mean it's underserved.

September 21, 2011 - Toronto Star

If the lack of funding doesn't kill it, lawsuits in northern, southern, and now central California might just do it. California Watch analyzes the lawsuits facing the CA High Speed Rail Authority in the three regions of the state.

September 20, 2011 - California Watch via SF Chronicle