Government / Politics
Vancouver's Recession Olympics
Vancouver lost its Triple A credit rating after being forced to bail out its Olympic Athletes Village when the hedge fund that had backed it went under -- just one of the unpredicted events that made this a Recession Olympics.
Wide Web of High Speed Rail Could Boost Congressional Spending
The projects receiving funding through the federal government's roughly $8 billion high speed rail investment travel through more than 40% of congressional districts. Analysts predict this will encourage more legislators to push for related funds.
Detroit Mayor Warms to Downsizing
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing is reportedly open to the idea of downsizing the city, and is looking for other fresh ideas to help the city's economy return to a sustainable place.
Water Diversion Plan Irks Northern Californians
A plan to divert water from Northern California to the state's agricultural heart in the drought-stricken Central Valley has residents and officials on the offensive.
Re-Housing the Homeless
As homelessness rises in cities and suburbs across the country, local municipalities are trying to get the newly homeless back into homes as quickly as they can.
Cities in the Emerging Age of Communication
We may not be driving flying cars, but the futuristic city is here -- in the form of a more intimate connections, communication technologies and social interactions. Former Planetizen Managing Editor Christian Madera discusses.
Portland Approves $613 Million Bike Plan
The Portland City Council unanimously approved a $613 million, 20 year plan to improve the city's bike infrastructure.
The Trouble With Government Transparency
Keeping government open and accountable has led to some problems for cities, according to John D. Donahue.
California Plan Would Block Projects From Environmental Lawsuits
California is looking to fast-track a pilot project that would exempt some construction projects from environment-related legal challenges. It's a move aimed at speeding development and creating jobs, but critics say it will harm the environment.
Looking at America Through its Food
A new demographic tool from the USDA compiles data about food choices and characteristics, allowing the creation of detailed maps. Edible Geography wonders what using food as a metric will tell us about the U.S.
Houston Looks At Reshaping Transit
Houston Mayor Annise Parker is considering a big shake-up of the city's public transportation, including the option of transitioning to a fare-free system.
Getting Smart About Sewage
This post from IBM's A Smarter Planet blog looks at how advanced monitoring techniques and analytics are helping to improve the management of sewage and wastewater in cities like Sacramento and Dubuque.
Historic Preservation Programs Nixed By Obama
The Obama administration has cancelled two Federal programs - Save America's Treasures and Preserve America - that were responsible for the restoration of nearly 900 historic structures over the past 10 years.
Best Practices for Water Management
This piece from Urban Re:Vision Magazine looks at a variety of water reuse and stormwater capture projects in cities across the U.S.
Cong. Blumenauer Updates Federal Cap-and-Trade, Transportation Bill Status
With Congress mired in the health care debate, legislation critical to rebuilding communities, such as ACES and the reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Bill, languish. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) details the political climate in D.C.
Does Public Involvement Enhance Tough Decision-Making?
A local Council in Scotland is considering convening a Citizens Panel to consider the next round of difficult cuts to local budgets. This opinion piece debates whether public involvement is a value-added, or if it just slows down decisionmaking.
Reinventing Mobility in Detroit
PBS documents Detroit's attempts to overcome its history as "the Motor City" to create new ways of getting people around. Transit advocates play a big part in this preview, which includes renderings of projected transit options.
Canada Housing Prices Return to Pre-Recession Peak
What housing slump? Canada's real estate recovery has been so fast, some analysts worry it signals a return to speculation.
Florida Amendment Could Shake Up Local Planning
Florida voters are facing an amendment this November that could dramatically reshape the way local planning occurs.
The State of Happiness
A new study ranks the U.S. states by residents' happiness. From Louisiana (#1) to New York (#51), the happiest people tend to live in sunny, outdoorsy states with strong quality of life measures.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
