The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The City of San Jose, California is on its way to becoming the nation's first energy-independent city, deriving all of its energy from renewable sources.

August 5 - USA Today

At a digital security conference in Las Vegas, a presenter showed that newer "smart" parking meters can be hacked, giving the hacker free parking wherever they go.

August 5 - Boing Boing

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced an idea to speed up buses in Manhattan by eliminating crosstown bus fares.

August 5 - The New York Times

The Economist reports that the collapse of Detroit's auto industry has had a ripple effect up north, particularly in Windsor, Ontario.

August 5 - The Economist

Katherine Melia explains the relevant points on the Atlantic Yards controversy in Brooklyn for those not embroiled in the controversy over eminent domain, starchitecture, and more.

August 5 - Next American City

James Surowiecki dispels the myth that banks are better off renegotiating mortgage then foreclosing.

August 4 - The New Yorker

Adolfo Carrión, Jr., Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, reports from a tour he's taking to spur a national conversation about the role cities and metropolitan areas should take in national policy.

August 4 - The White House blog

Typically at the top of "best cities" lists, Vancouver and Portland are highly coveted places. This piece looks at why Portland is really number one.

August 4 - The Tyee

The Sahara desert is becoming increasingly green, according to satellite imagery -- which scientists are attributing to rising temperatures associated with global climate change.

August 4 - National Geographic

New public space has opened in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in an unlikely place. The new park sits a few feet above the contaminated grounds of a deactivated municipal incinerator.

August 4 - Metropolis

The City of San Francisco has taken a babystep towards developing a citywide bike sharing system. The city recently hosted a bike sharing sampler, with 7 bikes being displayed and available for use at Golden Gate Park.

August 4 - San Francisco Chronicle

Housing vacancies are still rising in many American metropolitan areas.

August 4 - Forbes

Peak oil will happen at least 10 years earlier than most governments are expecting, and an oil crunch will occur in the next 5 years, says Dr Fatih Birol, chief economist at the International Energy Agency.

August 4 - The Independent (UK)

Downtowns used to serve primarily as the economic and job hub of a community, but are shifting to be more focused on providing a entertainment center and civic forum.

August 4 - New Geography

Where are all the trains? Chicago suburbs worried about an expected increase in freight trains due to the CN purchase of a rail spur through their backyard, but that worry has not materialized after the acquisition.

August 4 - Chicago Sun-Times

Howard Husock reads two new books on Jane Jacobs, which he says reveal the unexplored significance of Jacob's activist side, opening the doors to protesting the entire activity of city planning.

August 3 - City Journal

In Copenhagen, architect David Zahle faced with a problem site. They needed to build 215,000 sq. ft. of parking and 108,000 sq. ft. of housing on one lot. The solution was a sort of artificial mountain.

August 3 - Dwell

In this editorial, the New York Times urges the Senate not to reduce the House's high speed rail budget allocation of $4 billion to $1.4 billion. Though President Obama is a prominent supporter of HSR, he supports delaying the transportation bill.

August 3 - The New York Times - Opinion

As people move to cities and the outer suburbs begin to become more desolate, what will become of them? WorldChanging envisions the suburbs as the next frontier.

August 3 - WorldChanging

Urban sounds can have an effect on people -- both physically and mentally. This sonic tour through New York City examines how sounds affect urbanites.

August 3 - Discover