The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
'Fuel Poverty' in America?
<p>A new poll shows that millions of Americans will need to borrow money to pay their heating bills this winter, many of them with credit cards.</p>
FEATURE
Best of the Worst in Planning for 2007
Keeping track of the weird things that occur in the planning and government world – from rules prohibiting screaming on amusement park rides to “green” cremation techniques – isn't really necessary. But someone should do it anyway.
Lack Of Foresight Hung Atlanta Up To Dry
<p>Poor planning has put Atlanta in the drought-stricken position it's in now, and there are few signs that anything is changing on that front, according to this editorial from the <em>Atlanta Journal-Constitution</em>.</p>
Governors Island Redesign To Focus On Parkspace
<p>A design has been chosen for the redevelopment of Governors Island in New York. The winning proposal plans to convert most of the island into parkspace.</p>
San Mateo: First California County To Subdivide Housing Need Allocations
<p>"Regional Housing Needs Allocations" are generally dreaded by California cities who resist state mandates to provide affordable housing. Rather than being assigned the requirement by the regional COG, San Mateo's 20 cities chose to do it themselves.</p>
U.S. Mayor Calls Bush Years 'Disastrous' for America's Cities
<p>Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson condemns the Bush Administration's disregard for America's cities in this video.</p>
Affordable Housing Plans More Achievable In D.C.
<p>This post from <em>The Next American City</em>'s blog looks at plans for building affordable housing in Washington D.C. and how the city is in a much better position to provide for its low income residents than many other major cities.</p>
New Orleans Waterfront Revisioned
<p>Plans to redevelop the Mississippi riverfront in New Orleans are being released, including more than 100 acres of parks and pathways.</p>
Intentions Questioned In Salt Lake City Downtown Redevelopment Project
<p>This article looks at a Mormon Church-sponsored project in downtown Salt Lake City that some say is sacrificing the will of local retailers and residents for shareholder profits.</p>
Portland's Streetcar Possibility Affecting Two Major Transportation Projects
<p>Pending plans to extend Portland's streetcar system are causing two current transportation infrastructure projects to cautiously tip-toe forward and not make any moves that would prevent the future option of the streetcar from being included.</p>
Developer Sues After City Blocks Tacked-On Big Box Plans
<p>Developers who submitted a plan for a retail development and then added a big box store to the plan after it had been approved have sued the city of Blacksburg, Virginia, for instituting new planning rules that requires extra governmental approval.</p>
A Quiet Drive
<p>New types of pavements are being tested in Washington that make highway traffic noticeably quieter.</p>
Friday Funny: Crumbling Infrastructure Likely Means 'Something'
<p>This article from <em>The Onion</em> looks back at the infrastructure problems that defined 2007, asking what they signify for the country.</p>
Toy Libraries Critical To Childhood Development
<p>Libraries for toys are popping up in developing countries all over the world, and especially in Africa, giving poor children a glimpse of a less troubled childhood. Many say the simple libraries are making big changes in the children's development.</p>
'Mr. Open Space' Should Have Been Called 'Mr. Rational'
<p>The late Larry Livingston became known in planning circles and elsewhere as "Mr. Open Space." But, Bill Fulton writes, the tag was based on a misunderstanding of a fiscal analysis he prepared regarding housing development in a particular city.</p>
Miami On The Verge Of Major Downtown Makeover
<p>County officials are moving forward with four mega-projects designed to improve downtown Miami. Critics wonder if they will really benefit the taxpayer.</p>
NOLA Demolitions: One of 'Greatest Crimes in U.S. Urban Planning'
<p>HUD's arguments for the demolition of thousands of public housing units in New Orleans echoes the worst of the "tabula rasa" approach to urban renewal of the 1960s, writes Nicolai Ouroussoff.</p>
Town On The Farm
<p>The massive farm bill making its way through Congress will only perpetuate social and environmental sustainability. What's also needed is legislation to boost the urban economics of local food production, writes Christopher Cook.</p>
Los Angeles Hopes To Win Federal Grant For 3 HOT Lanes Conversions
<p>The L.A. Metropolitan Transportation Agency hopes to convert carpool lanes on three freeways to variably priced High Occupancy Toll lanes and win a federal grant. But the plan is upsetting carpoolers and hybrid owners who use these lanes for free.</p>
Commuters Share Transit Information
<p>A new interactive information sharing network has been created to help commuters work their commute efficiently and with the most information possible.</p>
planning NEXT
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
