The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Eco-Friendly Design And Construction Need To Go Mainstream

Auden Schendler wonders why you can't buy an eco-friendly house in any average subdivision in America.

June 17 - Grist Magazine

U.N. Warns Of World's Failure To Curb Slum Growth

A report by the United Nations concludes that three decades of efforts to address urban poverty have failed.

June 17 - The Financial Times

Friday Funny: A Father's Day Gift

A Father's Day gift that Dad could use.

June 16 - Joy of Tech

Megacities, Mammoth Problems

Six of the world's fastest-growing megacities are examined in terms of their most pressing problems and what they are doing to address them.

June 16 - Foreign Policy

EPA Weakens Groundwater Rule After Energy Industry Pressure

Environmentalists criticesd a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decision to change a measure designed to protect groundwater near oil drilling sites and other construction zones.

June 16 - The Los Angeles Times


Sign Police Invade Boston's Back Bay

The City of Boston combed Newbury Street yesterday to penalize two dozen stores who were in violation of its strict sidewalk signage code.

June 16 - The Boston Globe

Saving Quebec's Churches

Once a deeply religious province of Canada, Quebec has seen such a steep decline in church attendance that it now faces the dilemma of what to do with some 4,000 places of worship -- some of which are being converted to condos.

June 16 - The Globe and Mail


Live From Dallas City Hall -- 'ForwardDallas!' Plan Faces Public

The Dallas Observer's city hall blog has been tracking -- literally by the minute -- the city's proposed comprehensive plan that's pushing mixed use development and meeting a local government's support, skepticism, and outright absenteeism.

June 16 - The Dallas Observer

Why High Speed Rail Shouldn't Ride In California

Wendell Cox weighs the true costs over the reported costs of creating a high speed train system for cities between San Diego and Sacramento. He offers opposition to a very expensive and likely underused project.

June 16 - Orange County Register

Who Is 'At Fault' For Poverty? Big Government Programs Are Declining

In a wide-ranging article, the Wall Street Journal profiles America's ongoing "wars on poverty" over the decades, and details what the future might hold for anti-poverty programs. The "Great Society" efforts of the past seem to be over.

June 16 - The Wall Street Journal

Coping With The FEMA Trailer

Many of those who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina or Rita struggle daily with the 240 square foot FEMA trailer.

June 16 - The New York Times

Rincon Hill Towers To Change San Francisco's Skyline

San Francisco's skyline is on the verge of a transformation. Long known for landmarks such as the Transamerica Pyramid and Coit Tower, Rincon Hill, near the base of the Bay Bridge, will add a new dimension and a new neighborhood.

June 16 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Did Landlords Force Out Tenants To Gentrify Apartments?

A lawsuit alleges that landlords harassed tenants and forced them out from rent-controlled buildings in gentrifying neighborhoods.

June 15 - The Los Angeles Times

A Subway Ride Into America's Melting Pot

New York's No. 7 subway line travels through one of America's most diverse 9.5 miles.

June 15 - The Christian Science Monitor

Trump Eyes Small NC Town, Locals Begin To Worry

New York City developers, financed in part by Donald Trump, unveil plans to build an 80-foot condominium development in Hendersonville, NC, much to the dismay of locals, who fear losing their small-town charm.

June 15 - Wall Street Journal (Courtesy of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

U.S. Drivers Will Pay Highway Tolls To Foreign Firms

Across the nation, states are leasing toll roads to private investors, including many foreign firms.

June 15 - The Washington Post

Global Population On Verge Of Urban Majority

Daily, hundreds of thousands of people are migrating from rural to urban areas. While cities in developed countries have the economy and infrastructure to handle the influx, developing countries are flooded with people and drowning in problems.

June 15 - BBC News

Native Americans Oppose Development Catering To Annual Biker Rally

The foundation of a huge commercial development geared toward the massive crowds of an annual motorcycle rally has been laid on South Dakota prairie land directly adjacent to a state park and a mountaintop sacred to Native American tribes.

June 15 - Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Cities Take Charge In Crisis Response Measures

Yes! Magazine reports on how cities in North America -- disillusioned with the U.S. federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina -- are seeking their own locally-based solutions to meeting crises and building resiliency.

June 15 - Yes! A Journal of Positive Futures

Arnold's 'Mean Green Machine'

The contest for California governor may hinge on who is perceived to be the greenest candidate. Schwarzenegger is rolling out a new, green image, but an environmental initiative on the ballot could undermine his message.

June 15 - Newsweek

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Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.