The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>Nestled in the world famous Napa Valley, the City of Napa, California, is undergoing a rapid transformation from an affordable industrial town into an increasingly upscale community.</p>

August 6 - The New York Times

<p>While diversity has usually been trumpeted as a positive aspect of many urban areas -- new research by Harvard professor Robert Putnam suggests that increasing diversity leads to decreased levels of civic engagement and cooperation.</p>

August 6 - The Boston Globe

<p>Even when lower-income households are lucky enough to find an affordable home to purchase, high association fees can put a damper on their initial good fortune.</p>

August 6 - The San Francisco Chronicle

<p>Voters in San Francisco will have to choose between two ballot measures -- one increasing parking in the city, the other funding more transit -- during this fall's election.</p>

August 6 - The San Francisco Chronicle

<p>Immigration has become a hot spot in the presidential primaries, with immigrants being blamed for crime and consuming vital social services. Now a Harvard study has analyzed how they have affected, and will affect, the for-sale housing market.</p>

August 6 - AP vis San Francisco Examiner

<p>Cleveland and its suburbs are trying to remove some of the regional competition between cities by sharing revenues and resources.</p>

August 5 - The Cleveland Plain Dealer

<p>In sun-drenched Arizona, researchers are working on developing new types of pavement that can counter the warming effect of urban heat islands.</p>

August 5 - The Arizona Republic

BLOG POST

<p>Whether kissed by trade winds in Hawaii, home to dozens of unique cultures in the Caribbean, or scoured by Nor’easter’s off the coast of Maine, islands are magnetic to burnt-out urbanites but tend to be tough places for natives. <br /><br />I was a guest not long ago of <a href="http://www.menis.es/flash_engl.swf" target="_blank">Fernando Menis</a>, an architect who has built an international reputation from Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. It’s not easy to be true to a unique place – as he aspires to be – when what works locally doesn’t always “translate” in the globalized and image-driven world of architecture. <br />

August 5 - James S. Russell

<p>Small towns hungry for economic stimulus have found a willing suitor in the Internet giant, though some accuse Google of using the promise of jobs to win unfair concessions.</p>

August 5 - The Dalles Chronicle

<p>The Dharavi neighborhood of Mumbai -- home to 600,000 residents -- is set to be razed and rebuilt under a massive redevelopment scheme.</p>

August 5 - The Independent

<p>A recent poll shows the majority of Americans think the use of surveillance cameras in public spaces are a good idea.</p>

August 5 - Angus Reid Global Monitor

<p>The proposed 61-mile system connection -- which will provide an alternative to commuters on the congested Interstate 4 corridor -- has been given the green light by local officials.</p>

August 4 - The Orlando Sentinel

<p>Boosters like to sell downtown revitalization as crucial to a region's economic interest -- but for most cities, that's rarely the case.</p>

August 4 - East Valley Tribune

<p>While American drivers are burning record amounts of gas to feed their motoring habits, a weird thing is happening in the freeway state – Californians continue to consume less gasoline. Sustained high gas prices may play a role by changing behavior.</p>

August 4 - The Oakland Tribune

<p>The collapsed Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis was deemed 'structurally deficient' as early as 1990, as are 77,000 other bridges in the U.S.</p>

August 4 - The New York Times

<p>Jan Gehl, the renowned Danish urban designer, is in New York City this week where, sources say, he has been hired as a consultant for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Long-Term Planning and Sustainability initiative.</p>

August 4 - Streetsblog

<p>In New Zealand, its not so much people, but methane-producing livestock that's the problem. A revived government proposal would tax farmers for their animal's gas emissions.</p>

August 3 - Stuff.co.nz

<p>Architecture for Humanity is a group of volunteer architects helping in the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast communities hit by Hurricane Katrina.</p>

August 3 - The New York Times

<p>Even as more and more businesses adopt environmentally-friendly policies, Joel Makower explains why he believes the green business trend has not yet reached critical mass.</p>

August 3 - Joel Makower

<p>Boston architect Peter Kuttner's philosophy is increasingly rare in architecture circles these days. He thinks architecture should serve people.</p>

August 3 - The Boston Globe