Government / Politics
Spend More, Get Less
Is San Francisco the worst-run big city in the country? The SF Weekly argues that despite spending more per capita than any other city, SF fails to deliver on almost everything.
DC Abuzz With Biking Interest
An event featuring David Byrne ("Bicycle Diaries) in DC brings out hundreds to hear how to take back public streets from the domination of the auto, and green federal transportation policy as well.
Utah Approved as Temporary Nuclear Dumping Ground
The state of Utah and the Department of Energy have come to an agreement that will allow depleted uranium storage within the state, at least temporarily. Additional reviews are needed before the state officially stores the nuclear waste permanently.
Big Brother is Watching You Ride the Bus
Electronic passes used to board transit systems in the Seattle region could offer a new eye for Big Brother. According to privacy rights activists, the data in the employer-provided passes can be monitored by employers without employees' knowledge.
Guide to Street Vending and Tenants Rights
These two posts from BLDGBLOG look at an innovative project that visually explains the convoluted policies and rules of New York City tenant rights and street vending regulations.
The Bizarre Planning of the Las Vegas Monorail
There's a monorail on the Las Vegas Strip. Well, kinda. It's actually behind the casinos and hotels that line the famous strip. This piece from Metropolis explains how it got there and why it's not so good.
UK Camera Count Triples in 10 Years
The amount of closed-circuit security cameras operated by local councils in the United Kingdom has nearly tripled over the past 10 years, according to a new report.
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.
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.
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
