Government / Politics
Water Standards Out of Touch With Reality
American drinking water meets federal safety standards, but some say it's only because those standards are far too low and don't accurately reflect the potential for contamination.
Filling in the City
As climate talks start and stop in Copenhagen, Anthony Flint argues for local action by affecting the built environment. He calls for more infill redevelopment, saying "we need more city".
Rebound Cities Offer Lessons for Detroit
This piece from The New Republic looks at the "urban disaster" of Detroit and compares it to other cities that have come on tough times in the past. Cities like Belfast and Turin offer examples of how Detroit can come back from the dead.
LaHood Talks Trains on the Daily Show
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood talks about the federal government's mobility plans on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
How Cities Are Using Stimulus Money
This infographic from GOOD tracks the top recipients of money from the federal stimulus package and how that money is being used.
Seattle's Big Dig Controversy
Seattle's new mayor come January, Mike McGinn, a former Sierra Club activist, withdrew his campaign threat to veto the highway tunnel planned to replace the Alaska Way Viaduct.
The City Solution to Climate Change
In this commentary from the UN climate talks in Copenhagen, Worldchanging's Alex Steffen looks beyond the quick fixes and geoengineering and notes that making cities more sustainable will help fight climate change.
Home Loan Program Fueled Foreclosure Boom in Cleveland
In trying to turn people into homeowners, the city of Cleveland's participation in a federally-funded home loan program greatly exacerbated its foreclosure crisis.
U.S. Megaprojects Are Not in the U.S.
Some say the age of mega infrastructure projects is over in the U.S., but this piece from Foreign Policy argues the U.S. megaproject lives on -- just not inside the U.S.
Land Use and Medical Marijuana
Like many cities in California, San Diego is struggling to form a policy around the booming medical marijuana dispensaries that have popped up around the city. The first place they're starting is with land use restrictions.
Regionalism is Alive in Pittsburgh
Some say the greater Pittsburgh area needs to think more "regionally". This piece from Pop City argues it already is.
Cell Towers May Rise in Austin Parks
Parks officials in Austin, Texas are considering a plan that would allow cell phone companies to lease space within the city's parks where they could build cellular communication towers.
Rendell On the National Infrastructure Bank
The Infrastructurist talks with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell -- "a friend of infrastructure" -- about the proposed National Infrastructure Bank.
Do 'Megaregions' Make Sense?
The Urbanophile attempts to separate the hype from the usefulness of the concept of the 'megaregion', deciding in the end that it is a 'convenient abstraction for federal-level thinkers.'
Historic Settlement With Native Americans For Land Trust Abuses
The U.S. Government has agreed to a settlement of $3.4 billion for failing to pay royalties on mineral and grazing leases to Native Americans.
City Data to the Masses
A growing number of cities are opening up public data streams to computer developers. Some say the move will improve civic discourse, but the nascent trend is still developing.
States Look to Claim Part of $69 Billion in Infrastructure Funds
The Obama Administration is set to announce a new jobs bill and state officials are clamoring to get their hands on some of the $69 billion the federal government is dedicating to the next batch of stimulus-related infrastructure projects.
Cleveland Looks to Remake Waterfront
Planning commissioners in Cleveland are pushing forward a plan to revitalize the city's waterfront and port.
Re-Urbanizing the Suburbanized
The majority of the world's population now lives in urban areas -- except for Britain. Some say that bucked trend must be reversed.
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.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
