The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Rumor had it that the site of the infamous Pruitt-Igoe projects remains empty because the foundations are impossible to demolish. Turns out that the problem is politics, not pilings.

October 2 - Urban Review STL

The Federal Reserve announced that 32% of loan applications were denied last year, and applications on the whole were down by a third from 2007.

October 1 - Builder Magazine

A Wall St. Journal reporter takes a five-day sightseeing trip to Los Angeles, sans rental car. Getting the Getty Villa and Watts Towers were two of the more challenging forays.

October 1 - Wall St Journal

HUD-subsidized housing in transit-oriented developments could become more expensive as it ages out and TOD becomes more popular, says a new study by AARP, Reconnecting America and the National Housing Trust.

October 1 - Reconnecting America

Renewable energy production takes a lot of water. With droughts and shortages plaguing many areas, the limited supply could crimp the ability of renewable energy providers to create green energy.

October 1 - The New York Times

FEATURE

Strip malls are in virtually every American city, but they're rarely an important part of those cities. Ava Bromberg says they can be. Her idea is to turn strip malls into community-owned hubs that generate capital within their neighborhood and keep it there.

October 1 - Nate Berg

Some recent studies show that the winds are slowing in the U.S., but others say it is speeding up. Regardless, variable winds could have a great impact on the wind power industry.

October 1 - Miller-McCune

A new film focuses on the life of a home designed by architect Rem Koolhaas for a client in a wheelchair, which radically redefines domestic living, and the results of the experiment when put to actual use.

October 1 - The Wall St. Journal

In San Francisco, the mid-Market St. area has struggled for decades with blighted conditions. An area property owner thinks that digital billboards could solve the problem, and has put a proposition on the local ballot to get them built.

October 1 - The San Francisco Chronicle

In the midst of an important debate in Washington, DC over the future of America's transportation funding, a report issued this month by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified several challenges facing regional transportation policy.

October 1 - Northwest Hub

Elaine Cogan gives these tips for talking about planning issues with senior citizens and getting the most out of them throughout the planning process.

October 1 - Planning Commissioners Journal

Climate change is now being visualized in 3D maps on Google Earth.

October 1 - The Sydney Morning Herald

The Senate will introduce on Sept. 30 its companion bill to the Waxman-Markey climate change legislation that has already passed the House of Representatives. Both bills rely on 'cap & trade' to meet their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

September 30 - The Wall Street Journal - Politics

San Pedro, a port city near Los Angeles, is looking to boost its image with a 1.2 billion dollar makeover. Plans include a promenade, a cruise terminal, and a vibrant commercial district and could take up to 10 years.

September 30 - Los Angeles Times

Musician David Byrne gathered a panel of planners and cyclists for a spirited conversation in San Francisco about the joys of urban cycling.

September 30 - Streetsblog

The Infrastructurist dissects the poor judgement behind GE's recent ads for supposed clean coal technology that feature scantily clad models posed as coal miners (offending video included).

September 30 - The Infrastructurist

Taxi and minibus drivers in Cape Town are concerned that a new Integrated Rapid Transport (IRT) system will put them out of work. The city cites lack of regulation, safety concerns, and standardized work hours as reasons the new system is necessary.

September 30 - BBC News

A new study suggests that cities for which residents have a higher degree of emotional attachment and loyalty have greater levels of economic growth.

September 30 - The Globe and Mail

Failing malls didn’t get into trouble overnight: most began their descent long before the tough climate.

September 30 - Building Place Notebook

Stockholm's congestion charge is not only reducing traffic and greenhouse gas emissions, it's also increasing sales of alternative fuel vehicles.

September 30 - The New York Times