Government / Politics

What, as a society, do we share? Natural resources? Internet access? Public space? Jay Walljasper and the nonprofit On the Commons cross political boundaries to advocate for the common good and all that we share.

February 14, 2011 - Tim Halbur

It started with the popular desire to dissolve what some consider to be the cause of the 2008 melt-down - Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and has spread to rethinking the tax write-off of home ownership - a clearly unpopular notion for many.

February 14, 2011 - The New York Times - Business Day

Three public plazas in the center of Philadelphia are set to see much-needed makeovers, and soon.

February 14, 2011 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Intelligent cities" is picking up steam as the new buzzword in planning and a potentially game-changing way of using data to drive decisions. But we need to be sure we don't lose the human intelligence in planning.

February 13, 2011 - Next American City

President Obama's six-year, $53 billion high speed rail funding proposal must overcome stiff opposition of a skeptical Republican congress, particularly by House Transportation Chair John Mica who referenced swindler Bernie Madoff in his response.

February 13, 2011 - Orlando Sentinel

Struggling cities in the Rust Belt are actually luring a new surge of younger populations, according to this piece from Governing.

February 12, 2011 - Governing

Imbalances between the amount of cars being added to the roadways in China's cities and the amount of roads for them to drive on is brewing a major traffic problem.

February 11, 2011 - Miller-McCune

One plan to build a tunnel under the Hudson River from New Jersey to New York was killed by Governor Chris Christie, but New Jersey's senators have gotten behind a new plan to do the same thing.

February 11, 2011 - The New York Times

Developers in Las Vegas have announced a proposal for a three-stadium complex in the city intended to lure professional basketball, hockey, football and baseball teams.

February 11, 2011 - The Las Vegas Sun

With the challenges facing American cities of tight budgets and lost revenues, Major Bing openly asks how to shrink the size of Detroit and makes an open call for plans, concepts, and strategies to save the failing city.

February 10, 2011 - Washington Post

As demographics shift and housing preferences of younger buyers lean away from single-family housing, much of the single-family-home-zoned areas in Charlotte will need to be rethought, according to this editorial.

February 10, 2011 - The Charlotte Observer

Urban designer David Green talks with Anthony Lyons, Director of the city of Gainesville's Community Redevelopment Agency, about his successes in the city and how other cities can become more livable.

February 10, 2011 - Fast Co. Design

As the city of Los Angeles's budget faces deep cuts, money to pay for the upkeep of the city's iconic Watts Towers folk art installation has dried up. But a museum is stepping in to try to keep the Towers alive.

February 9, 2011 - The New York Times

More than 2 years after it expired, the federal transportation bill is likely to be reauthorized soon, according to Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

February 9, 2011 - Reuters

Long-held plans for a new bridge over the Columbia River between Portland and Vancouver, Washington, have been thrown out by a panel of experts who have suggested cheaper alternatives.

February 9, 2011 - The Oregonian

Formed as a primarily agrarian nation, Canada is now seeing its cities crippled by constitutional arrangements that leaves its cities underfunded and with only minimal support from the federal government, writes John Macfarlane.

February 8, 2011 - The Walrus

New York City has released a new handbook of its zoning regulations in an illustrated, easily-comprehensible guide.

February 8, 2011 - The New York Times

The city of Bell made news in 2010 with rampant misappropriation of public funds, but the problem is still (as ever) more widespread than anyone realizes.

February 8, 2011 - The Planning Report

Interested communities are invited to apply until February 23, 2011. The purpose of the program is to help interested communities adopt sustainable planning methods.

February 8, 2011 - Sustainable Cities Collective

The City Council of Temecula, CA decided that a proposed mosque met all zoning requirements and voted to approve its construction, despite opposition that supporters claim was fueled by religious reasons and not concerns over traffic and parking.

February 8, 2011 - The Huffington Post