The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Parklets are a new urban trend spreading to cities all over the world. It's an idea born in San Francisco, and the <em>San Francisco Chronicle</em>'s John King takes a tour of each of the city's new mini-parks

January 1 - San Francisco Chronicle

The continuing recession and housing crisis are being further decimated by federal cuts to housing aid, according to The Nation.

January 1 - The Nation

Last winter, subway riders were stuck on a New York City train overnight. Now some have filed a lawsuit against the MTA for its poor handling of the situation, highlighting the need for emergency planning in public transit agencies.

January 1 - Transportation Nation

University Place, Washington is a small town struggling through the recession. With its credit rating recently downgraded and labeled a "negative outlook," the town is facing new challenges as it tries to emerge from the hole.

January 1 - The Wall Street Journal

Chuck Wolfe analyzes his 2011 articles which appeared on Planetizen and in other sources, and derives his urbanist trends to watch for in 2012.

December 31 - myurbanist

Megacities are the future of our planet. Author James Canton offers several visions and strategies to begin planning for them.

December 31 - Significance

Call it megachurch fatigue: A proposed Sufism Reoriented sanctuary is just one of an increasing number of religious developments facing no shortage of community backlash in northern California.

December 31 - The Wall Street Journal

Atlantic Cities collects the new slogans cities adopted in 2011 to help define their city and improve business and tourism.

December 31 - Atlantic Cities

As part of its 400th birthday celebration, Quebec City kicked off a plan that involves lighting up its historic landmarks at night.

December 31 - The Montreal Gazette

BLOG POST

I am sorry to report that, Canada, my chosen country (I immigrated here in 1993), recently withdrew from the Kyoto Accord, which sets international climate change emission reduction targets. It’s worth noting that this decision was made...

December 30 - Todd Litman

Your probably heard of ecotourism -- responsible tourism to natural areas. Apocalypse tourism celebrates the the end of the world on December 21, 2012, and Mexico's tourism board has the event locked up.

December 30 - CNN

Curbed offers its eclectic selection of the most deserving people, places and things in the real estate architecture, and neighborhood universes of New York City.

December 30 - Curbed

A group of lawyers in California has filed a lawsuit to overturn the two-thirds legislative voting requirement of Proposition 13, the law that limits increases in the state's taxes -- but not property taxes.

December 30 - San Francisco Chronicle

Atlantic Cities offers a review of ten of the worst urban transportation failures to take place in American cities in 2011.

December 30 - Atlantic Cities

New street furniture is being installed in Toronto, but locals are already sick of it. They're called "information pillars" and are supposed to offer helpful directions and info to pedestrians, but critics complain that they're mostly advertisements.

December 30 - The Globe and Mail

The State Supreme Court struck down redevelopment. Now it's up to the political players in California to strike a deal to bring it back. Can they do it? And what will the state's price be?

December 30 - California Planning & Development Report

The court's decision is likely to have far-reaching effects on how cities in California finance and facilitate urban redevelopment.

December 30 - Los Angeles Times

If high-speed rail fails, 130 miles of track will have to go to Amtrak. But critics say that the backup plan comes with no guarantee that Amtrak would even have to use the tracks and is, therefore, a useless backup plan.

December 30 - Los Angeles Times

Steep and sudden price reductions are being felt in real estate markets in Shanghai and across China. Indicators suggest that the 'biggest bubble of the century' may have just burst.

December 30 - Foreign Affairs

The city of Vernon, California, fought hard recently to avoid disincorporation. The price of that fight has drained the city's coffers, and now some say it's too deep in the hole to function properly.

December 29 - Los Angeles Times