The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Hoboken's Innovative Car-Share Program Provides National Model, While Locals Grumble
Lauded by transit advocates, and garnering attention from cities across America, an experimental car-sharing program in Hoboken has proven effective in dissuading private car use. If only the city's residents were as happy with its success.
Transit Wins at Job Creation Game
Blogging on HuffPo, Greg LeRoy, director of Good Jobs First, makes the case that transit, transit oriented development and smart growth are key factors in job growth.
The Politics of Zoning Reform: Know Your Audience
In a blog post for <em>Better! Cities & Towns</em>, Susan Henderson compiles a comprehensive list of the types of personalities that must be brought on board to navigate the politics of zoning reform.
New Tool Seeks to Measure the Benefits of Urbanization
A new city prosperity index has been unveiled by UN-Habitat at this week's World Urban Forum. The index seeks to catalog the ways in which global urbanization can encourage shared prosperity and human development, reports Claire Provost.
Decoding the Geography of Innovation
More often than not, innovation springs from social interaction, rather than the romantic notion of the genius in isolation. With this in mind, Jessica Stoller-Conrad and Nancy Shute discuss three important ways in which geography fuels innovation.
Are Efforts to Improve the Livability of China's Cities Hurting the Country's Economy?
As China continues to mature into a developed nation, efforts aimed at making its largest cities more environmentally sustainable and healthy may be putting a damper on the country's economic growth.
Chicago Prioritizes Pedestrian Safety
This week, the Chicago Department of Transportation unveiled the city's first pedestrian plan, aimed at improving the long-term safety of Chicago's walkers, reports Bridget Doyle.
New Tool for Tallying the Costs of Sprawl
The State of New Hampshire has created an interactive online tool for its municipalities to examine the impacts of different land use scenarios, in the hopes of promoting smart growth. Geneva Faulkner describes how it works.
What Defines a City?
As anyone who's raised an eyebrow upon hearing that Los Angeles is technically more dense than New York can attest, making city-to-city comparisons can be a confounding endeavor. Nate Berg goes in search of a uniform way to define the city.
Can New York Protect its Dive Bars?
Over the past couple of decades, Manhattan's ruthless redevelopment has transformed neighborhoods up and down the island. In the East Village, local leaders are trying to defend the area's popular dive bars from rising rents and changing clientele.
Global Warming's Contradictory Role in Decreasing Biodiversity
Despite the seemingly positive news outlined in a new report detailing the role global warming periods play in increasing biodiversity, today's extremely-rapid warming trajectory may cancel out any hope of that.
In D.C., Crime Prevention Starts at the Drafting Table
What's a better way to ensure lower crime than to involve police directly in the planning process? One development in Washington, D.C. will do just that.
Can California's Delta Plan Balance Infrastructure Investment with Environmental Protections?
Jerry Meral, Deputy Secretary of Resources in California, discusses balancing myriad stakeholders and goals in pushing for Governor Brown's controversial Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta plan.
Irreplaceable but Riddled with Problems, Can NYC's Public Housing be Saved?
Matt Chaban profiles John Rhea, NYC Housing Authority Chairman, and his efforts to improve the city's last bastion of affordable apartments.
Housing Mobility Provides a Prescription for Healthy Living
Moving families from segregated, high poverty neighborhoods, into desegregated "areas of opportunity" has multiple effects. Housing mobility programs help revitalize communities and improve the physical and mental health of families involved.
Democratic Platform: Strong on Sustainability, Short on Transportation Specifics
With the Democratic convention underway in Charlotte, Streetsblog's Tanya Snyder looks for the transportation element in their platform, but finds it lacking. Sustainability refers to the economy, not to financing the infrastructure investments.
We Built This: Keeping Score of America's Stadium Spending Spree
To the tune of at least $4 billion in tax exemptions, America's taxpayers have collectively subsidized the construction of sports venues across the country, for the benefit of sports owners' bottom line. Are we getting our money's worth?
CEQA Reform Pits Democrats Against Environmentalists in California
Ian Lovett looks at efforts to reform CEQA, California's landmark environmental law. Decried as easily abused, and an impediment to economic development, bipartisan attempts to reform the law are making enemies out of allies.
Escaping the Pitfalls of Professional Discourse
Kaid Benfield returns to his popular blog at the NRDC's Switchboard site after a three-week hiatus, with thoughts on the purpose of his writings and how "overly familiar vocabulary can lead to overly familiar thinking."
Strolling Among the Tree Tops
Stacey at <em>Gardenista</em> has collected images and descriptions of four sublime "canopy walks" that "make it easy to walk from tree to tree at an altitude typically reserved for birds."
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.
