The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

This piece from <em>The Examiner</em> looks at the alleyways of San Francisco and how they have become activated in recent years.

April 1 - Examiner

President Barack Obama has lifted a ban on drilling for oil off the coast of the eastern U.S. Critics say the move won't meet the stated goal of achieving energy independence, while proponents say this is only the first step that needs to be taken.

April 1 - The New York Times

This oped from <em>The National</em> calls for increased attention to the streetscapes of the United Arab Emirate, specifically the lack of non-palm trees and seating.

April 1 - The National

FEATURE

To inaugurate the launch of our new website with exclusive coverage of high-speed rail, we asked David J. Carol, Market Leader of High-Speed Rail at Parsons Brinkerhoff to tell us what we need to know about the U.S.'s exciting new endeavor.

April 1 - David J. Carol

A recent survey from UNLV suggests that 40% of the residents of the Las Vegas metropolitan area would prefer to leave the state.

April 1 - Las Vegas Sun

A recent report from NASA outlined the threat solar storms pose to Earth-based electrical and communications systems, and warned that the social and economic disruptions could be catastrophic.

April 1 - Big Think

In this editorial, blogger Kevin Buchanan argues that a Fort Worth streetcar is being delayed by political forces and should move forward for the benefit of the community.

April 1 - Fortworthology

With the country is full recovery mode, urban planners in Haiti are releasing a strategy document that seeks to redistribute the population of damaged Port-au-Prince and to create a series of smaller urban centers throughout the country.

March 31 - The New York Times

Illegal immigrants in Arizona are wary about the Census, and are planning to avoid enumerators. But other illegal immigrants without the right to vote see the count as their only option for having a positive impact on their communities.

March 31 - NPR

While this article focuses on 'Heavy', the homeless hold-out, it really is a success story of how a popular, urban destination can tackle what many considerable an insurmountable urban problem - homelessness.

March 31 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

In a Chicago Tribune op-ed, Alderman Joe Moore explains why he is letting residents decide how to spend his $1.3 ward budget, through the first Participatory Budgeting process in the US.

March 31 - Chicago Tribune

The environmental and infrastructural conditions that brought about the flooding of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 remain today, and have the potential to cause similar devastation, according to this piece.

March 31 - Places

San Francisco's recently passed and controversial sit/lie laws that prohibit sitting on sidewalks were based on a similar rule passed in Seattle in 1993. Though that rule has been on the books for years, its controversy remains.

March 31 - San Francisco Chronicle

The local food movement is growing in popularity, but a lack of related agricultural and processing infrastructure is holding back its spread.

March 31 - The New York Times

Inside this gated community in the L.A. suburb of Hemet, the recession is taking a tough toll and making life difficult for the families that had moved there for quiet calm.

March 31 - Los Angeles Times

Recent attacks in the Moscow subway system highlight concerns in New York City, where a closed circuit security camera system still has many gaps.

March 31 - The New York Times

Brazilian slums represent huge segments of the country's urban population, especially in Sao Paulo. Upgrading them into economically sustainable segments of the city is a challenge, but a new toolkit offers a path to success.

March 31 - Citiscope

Very few large cities can claim to know how many parking spaces they have. San Francisco has counted its publicly accessibly parking supply and released the data to through Data SF website.

March 30 - Streetsblog San Francisco

This piece from <em>The St. Louis Post-Dispatch</em> looks at how the city is trying to coerce itself into the new idea- and innovation-based economy.

March 30 - The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

For small towns, the 50,000 population mark is a sought after goal. That amount makes it easier for towns to qualify for certain federal funding, which is why the small town of Salina, Kansas is trying to make sure its residents fill out the Census.

March 30 - NPR