Government / Politics
Open Container Laws Ditched in Cincinnati's The Banks Entertainment District
The trend toward the liberalization of outdoor drinking laws continues in Cincinnati. The turned is prevalent enough that this isn't even the first example of a "designated outdoor refreshment area" on the Ohio River.
COVID Stimulus Details for Planners
A few last minute changes were included in the version of the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020, approved by Congress last night.
Adapting Building Codes to Natural Disasters Saves Billions
New research shows that modern building codes have prevented around $27 billion in damage from natural disasters between 2000 and 2016, yet many cities still operate under decades-old regulations.
Upzoning Isn't a Silver Bullet for Housing Affordability
Zoning changes have been a popular way to increase density and affordable housing, but more diversified policies could fill in the gaps where zoning fails.
California's Hospital Crisis: What Lies Ahead
As COVID infections and hospitalizations mount in California, ICU availability dropped to zero in Southern and Central California. Demand for hospital care is also outstripping supply in New Mexico.
Biden Diversifies Cabinet With EPA Administrator, Interior Secretary Picks
President-elect Biden made two historic cabinet selections: Michael Regan, who heads the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, to run the U.S. EPA, and Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico, to head the Interior Department.
Fighting No-Fault Evictions With a Just Cause Ordinance
Despite a statewide eviction moratorium, thousands of people have been evicted in Chicago since March. A coalition of housing advocates is proposing a just cause ordinance that would halt no-fault evictions.
$544 Million in Transit Capital Investment Funding Announced
The latest round of funding for the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grant funding program was announced this week.
Biden Selects Energy Secretary and New National Climate Advisor
Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a U.C. Berkeley professor, is Biden's choice to lead the Energy Department. A new position, national climate advisor, will be filled by former Obama EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, current head of the NRDC.
Federal Rent Relief Is a Public Health Imperative
To ensure families stay in their homes and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government should extend the CDC's eviction moratorium and other rent relief measures through the new year.
Residential Development Tax to Fund Affordable Housing Programs
Philadelphia's city council passed the city's first-ever residential development impact tax, a plan that could boost the city budget by $9 million a year.
Pandemic, Equity Dominate 2020 Planning News
Even with the world shut down, many California planning issues continued to be debated online, fought over in court, enacted in city halls, and realized on the ground. And yet, racial equity and the pandemic are the defining stories of 2020.
Mayor Pete Is Biden's Pick for Transportation Secretary
President-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate a former rival in the Democratic presidential primary and the former two-term mayor of South Bend, the fourth largest city in Indiana, to head the Transportation Department.
Germany Locks Down to Protect Healthcare System
Beginning Dec. 16, all of Germany will be subject to stricter coronavirus restrictions to reduce infections following a meeting with the chancellor and the 16 state governors. Schools will close and restaurants will be confined to take-out service.
Coastal Louisiana Communities Face Risks from Chemical Plants
Louisiana's chemical plants could release tons of toxic pollution into the air and water during storms, but anti-terrorism provisions make the process of finding risk management information prohibitively difficult.
Why Playgrounds Need to Stay Open
California has reversed its decision to close playgrounds as part of the state's stay-at-home order after some legislators and parents complained and argued that children need outdoor play for their health and well-being.
California Judge Berates L.A. County Public Health Department in Outdoor Dining Ruling
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge was critical of county public health officials for banning outdoor dining to slow the spread of the coronavirus without providing scientific evidence that the order would reduce infections.
Pandemic Geography: What's Wrong in Rhode Island?
The nation's smallest and second densest state has led the country in daily new cases per capita of coronavirus infections for the last week, supplanting the Midwest and Mountain States where the virus has reigned for months.
Transit's Big Day at the Ballot Box
Even with the fiscal uncertainty of the pandemic, voters around the country overwhelmingly supported new funding for public transit projects.
Outdoor Dining Outlawed in L.A. County—Restaurateurs Want to Know Why
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently closed outdoor dining because of a sudden but rapid rise of coronavirus infections in the county.
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.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
