The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

BLOG POST

<p>It should come as no surprise to anyone who has visited Downtown L.A.&#39;s Skid Row that the city has a serious homelessness problem -- with more people living on the street than any other city in the nation. A <a href="http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8672187">recent article</a> in the <em>Economist</em> focused on the recent crackdown by the city&#39;s police on the homeless population of skid row. With more and more residents moving into the area, and city officials keen to clean up downtown&#39;s streets, police chief William Bratton committed additional police officers to patrol the area to round up criminals (and presumably break up the population of street dwellers).</p>

February 21 - Christian Madera

<p>Companies are realizing that they can save money with green office buildings.</p>

February 21 - Forbes

<p>The future of Ontario is looking a lot greener and much more dense, as local officials tout recent legislative changes that they expect to drastically reshape the city in the next 25 years.</p>

February 21 - The Toronto Star

<p>In Washington, D.C., a publicly-financed convention center that was promoted four years ago by local officials as a shot in the arm for the city's economy has turned out to be less than successful. But the city has a plan to revive the dream.</p>

February 21 - The Washington Post

<p>Small towns and rural areas hit by economic downturns have seen many of their young people enlist for lack of other opportunities -- and as a result they represent almost half of U.S. war fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan.</p>

February 21 - Associated Press

<p>An internal government report questions why the Canadian federal government held back more than $70 million dollars from homelessness programs.</p>

February 20 - The Globe & Mail

<p>Randall Crane offers an introduction to the research literature around place-based versus people-based policies for economic development as he begins his research into systematic comparative assessments of the two policies.</p>

February 20 - Randall Crane's Blog, Urban Planning Research

<p>A recent report has revealed some shortcomings of San Francisco's Municipal Railway system: Muni busses and railcars arrive on schedule only 70%of the time. The issue is underlined by a 1999 measure that sought an on-time percentage of 85% by 2004.</p>

February 20 - The San Francisco Chronicle

<p>While the national and local perception of the region is bleak, with the right strategy and mindset, Upstate New York could revive its economy.</p>

February 20 - Post-Standard

<p>Increasing conflicts between suburbanites and wild critters battling for habitat prompts urban biologists to find solutions for coyotes, racoons, and feral pigs.</p>

February 20 - The Houston Chronicle

<p>Motels fill a critical housing niche in Montana's booming mountain resort region known as "Big Sky" outside Yellowstone Park: they house area workers as well as guests. While the rooms are shared to reduce costs, dangerous commuting is eliminated.</p>

February 20 - The New York Times via International Herald Tribune

FEATURE

With positive effects on public health, safety, and environmental quality -- walkability has become the new buzz word in planning.

February 20 - Wayne Senville

<p>A Swedish town is being forced to relocate as decades of mining have compromised the bedrock on which the town was built. The relocation of the city's entire housing stock, public buildings, town center, and rail line is projected to cost billions.</p>

February 20 - The Washington Post

<p>With Metro Atlanta's senior population set to mushroom, the region's planning agency says that area communities are not prepared to deal with the consequences of an aging population.</p>

February 20 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

<p>The city of Greensboro, North Carolina plans to create gardens that will serve as a gateway on the city's southeast side.</p>

February 20 - News & Record

<p>Participating on Oakland’s Inclusionary Housing Blue Ribbon Commission, a home builder points to the futility of inclusionary zoning and lists effective alternatives that should be included in a comprehensive approach to building affordable housing.</p>

February 20 - The Oakland Tribune

<p>London's mayor takes on the traffic challenge by expanding his congestion pricing experiment into West London -- an area with posh shopping areas and celebrity townhouses.</p>

February 19 - CNN

<p>As cities and counties contribute millions to its budget, the Southern California Association of Governments continues to take flak from planners and local officials who deplore its unrealistic planning efforts and inaccurate growth projections.</p>

February 19 - L.A. Weekly

<p>A movement is afoot to make schools more than just places to store kids for eight hours a day. Planning Director Gail Goldberg and child advocate Yolie Flores Aguilar are helping lead the way in Los Angeles.</p>

February 19 - The Planning Report

<p>Former California State Health Officer Richard Jackson offers a prescription for a country suffering from obesity, diabetes, and poor fitness: design neighborhoods, schools, and buildings that promote incidental exercise.</p>

February 19 - The Planning Report